Who killed it hardest in 2023? Help us decide and cast your vote in the European Skier of the Year contest presented by Peak Performance, Head and Tyrolia.
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HighlightAnd then there were eight
European Skier of the Year: The Semifinals
After a hard-fought quarterfinals round, four men and four women have advanced to the semifinals. Who gets your vote?
Semifinals voting is open until 20:00 CET on Sunday, 25 February. You may vote once in each head-to-head contest.
Voting in the semifinals is now closed. Check back tomorrow to cast your vote in the ESOTY finals!
Women’s Semifinals #1: Hedvig Wessel vs. Manon Loschi
A freeride vet takes on a challenge from a hungry up-and-comer. While taking a break from the FWT in 2023, Hedvig put in work on the film side, doing everything from producing her own projects (Headspace, Light in the Shadows) to starring in big-ticket productions (The Land of Giants, Unified). Manon missed her planned Freeride World Tour debut due to an injury, but was able to show off her talent in film projects like “Double Trouble” and “New Growth.”
Men’s Semifinals #1: Nikolai Schirmer vs. Kuura Koivisto
This one’s a true Nordic battle of east side (Finland) versus west side (Norway), freeride versus freestyle. Nikolai was very productive in 2023, pumping out content on YouTube, filming a segment for Matchstick Productions’ “The Land of Giants” and co-starring in the award-winning short “The Draconians.” Kuura is a preternaturally talented Finnish freestyler who, after missing the Olympics due to an injury, bounced back with a jaw-dropping season project, “Dream.”
Women’s Semifinals #2: Tess Ledeux vs. Mathilde Gremaud
These two women have faced off in countless contest finals, now they face off in the semis of ESOTY. Tess was on fire in 2023, winning the World Championships Big Air, the Silvaplana slopestyle, the Copper Mountain Big Air and taking second at the X Games Big Air. Mathilde went hard in 2023, winning four different World Cup events—two slopestyle, two Big Air—as well as the World Champs slopestyle and second at the X Games slopestyle.
Men’s Semifinals #2: Matej Svancer vs. Candide Thovex
Can anyone take down the GOAT? Jesper Tjäder couldn’t, but maybe the Unicorn can. Besides dropping groundbreaking tricks in every contest he entered, Matěj went ham in Faction’s “Abstract” and dropped a personal project with Red Bull, “Skiing Graduation” that showed him skiing through his high school. And Candide? Well, he launched his own ski company, and has just been doing Candide things.