By: Ethan Stone January 16, 2022

On January 14-16, 2022 the World Cup slopestyle circuit returned to Font Romeu, France. At what’s typically one of the most challenging venues on the tour, Tess Ledeux brought home a big win for the host country, while Andri Ragettli staged a remarkable return to World Cup competition just eight months after knee surgery.

Men: the return of ragettli

Looking like he hadn’t missed a beat during his time off, Ragettli’s winning run included a switch left double 1260 mute, a massive left triple cork 1400 safety, and a right double cork 1260 double japan. In the rail section, he added a switch left 270 on to backside 630 out, before closing with k-feds (front swap, back 270 out) in both directions on the last two rail tiers—including one on the technical final rail transfer.

andri ragettli fis world cup slopestyle font romeu 2022

Heads up, everyone: Andri Ragettli is back, and he´s hungrier than ever.

In second place, New Zealander Ben Barclay picked up his first podium finish on the World Cup circuit. Barclay tossed a right double cork 1260 japan, switch left double cork 1620 mute and a left double cork 1080 mute in the jumps, followed by a frontside 630 out; switch left 270 on, blind swap, front 270 out; and and a switch right 270 on, pretzel 270 out in the rails.

Third place went to the stylish young Canadian rider Edouard Therriault. The always-smiling Therriault delivered a rightside double 1260 mute, switch left double bio 1260 truck, and a left double cork 1260 tail in the jumps. In the rails, he laced a switch on, front cork 450 safety out; a frontside 360 swap to continuing 270 out; and a switch right 270 on to switch.

mens podium 2022 fis world cup slopestyle font romeu

Men´s podium: Andri Ragettli (1st), Ben Barclay (2nd), Edouard Therriault (3rd)

Women: Vive la france

On the women’s side, local favorite Tess Ledeux carried the day with the help of three different 900s: a switch left 900 safety, left cork 900 tail, and switch right bio 900 safety. In the rails, she added a back 450 out of the cannon; a switch on, front 270 out on the DFD; and a switch right 270 on to switch.

After narrowly missing the podium here in 2020, American Marin Hamill claimed her first World Cup medal with a second-place finish. Hamill sent a left 540 mute, switch right 540 japan and a right 720 tail in the jumps, then kept it simple and stylish in the rails with a back 270 out, front 270 out and a classic switch on, switch out.

Third place went to Austria’s Lara Wolf, another newcomer to the World Cup podium. Wolf nearly got hung up in the final rail section on a transfer attempt, but still scored well based on her strong jump section, which featured a beauty of a left cork 720 blunt, a massive right cork 900, and a switch left misty 900 safety.