The IFSA Freeride World Qualifier 4* went off at Crystal Mountain March 22-24 for the Men’s and Women’s Snowboard categories, as the riders battled through low visibility and weather holds on the King.

Crystal Mountain sits just an hour and a half southeast of Seattle, on the north side of Mt. Rainier, and is a recent addition to the IKON pass. The competition was held on the iconic Silver King peak. The King is hike-to zone within the resort that features some of the best freeride terrain in North America, including steep chutes, multiple spines, big cornices, and the prominent “J Tree” air.

Weather is a big factor for any freeride competition and this event was no different. Despite hints of blue sky and stunning views of Mt. Rainier on Saturday morning, the Men’s and Women’s Snowboard fields dealt with weather holds, as clouds shrouded the venue throughout the day. Despite the delays, the Snowboard field laid down strong, fluid runs in tough conditions. High scoring lines across the venue included an insane straight line to back flip on “Light Brown,” technical riding down “Pinball” and “Brain Damage” chutes, and playful lines with multiple airs through “The Appliances” zone.

Because of the slow going due to the weather, the Men’s and Women’s Ski fields were postponed until Sunday, and ultimately didn’t run. The thick northwest clouds wouldn’t clear enough to give the judges a good view of the venue.

Cheers to the event organizers (especially Chuck White and Brianna Stoutenburgh) for navigating the challenging conditions, keeping an opening dialog with the athletes, and doing what they could to get the event off.

Final Results | 2019 Crystal Mountain 4* FWQ

Snowboard Men

Che Contreras Jack Hessler Morgan Hebert Blake Moller Garrett Lumley Snowboard Women

Randa Shahin Ciara Michaluk Michelle Locke Katie Anderson Kiana Putman Final Results – PDF Download

Video Music Attribution

Tropo Hermosa Tormenta Freemusicarchieve.org