Event News
The White Festival debuts in Albertville this weekend
On November 16-18, the White Festival will take over Albertville’s Olympic Hall for an event that’s being touted as a first: an indoor, winch-powered freeski and snowboard contest combined with a musical lineup.
A stacked lineup of riders have signed on for the event, like Jossi Wells, Phil Casabon, Antti Ollia and Henrik Harlaut (check the full list below). The festival features a funky contest format: skiers are paired together with snowboarders on teams of two. The skier/boarder teams will duke it out through qualifying and semi-final rounds to reach the final and the €25,000 prize purse.
MEN
France – Hugo Laugier (ski) & Sacha Moretti (snowboard)
USA – Taylor Seaton (ski) & Brandon Davis (snowboard)
Europe - Tom Ritch (ski) & Ethan Morgan (snowboard)
Europe II – Henrik Harlaut (ski) & Sebbe de Buck (snowboard)
Europe III - Magnus Graner (ski) & Titouan Bartet (snowboard)
Sweden – Jesper Tjader (ski) & Ludvig Billtoft (snowboard)
Swiss – Laurent de Martin (ski) & Max Buri (snowboard)
Canada – Phil Casabon (ski) & Frank Bourgeois (snowboard)
Oversea I - Jossi Wells (ski) & Nik Baden(snowboard)
Oversea II - Finn Bilous (ski) & Enzo Valax (snowboard)
Oversea III – Nico Porteous (ski) & Kyle Mack (snowboard)
Finland - Antti Ollila (ski) & Roope Tonteri (snowboard)
WOMEN
Marie Martinod (ski, France)
Coline Ballet-Baz (ski, France)
Sarah Hoefflin (ski, Swiss)
Klaudia Medlova (snowboard, Slovakia)
The venue is one of a kind: an indoor snowpark setup, featuring both jump and jib features, which are serviced by four separate winches to propel riders in from all different directions. Teams will session the different elements of the setup simultaneously during the contest, rotating among the four separate sections while trying to impress the judges and make it to the next round.
“The White Festival is a world first. Such a snowpark on the flat, indoors, has never been done before!” says course designer Lao Chazelas of INOUT Skateparks & Ramps. “It’s a project I’ve been thinking about for years, a kind of dream! I was inpired by the FMX competitions in the Madrid arenas, the SLS skateboard format, some urban skiing events and wakeboard competitions.”
Besides watching top-notch freeski action live from a front-row seat, visitors will be able to session a Big Air bag and trampoline in the brand village. Once the on-snow activities wrap up on Friday and Saturday night, it’s après time as DJ sets take over the Olympic Hall.
For more information, tickets or to check out the contest livestream, visit the event website, and stay up on the happenings on the White Festival Facebook and Instagram.