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26th March 2010

At the age of 27, Candide Thovex has pulled off a truly impressive feat, by winning the Freeride World Tour 2010 at the first time of asking. He sealed the title by tying for third place in this mornings Final in Verbier, Switzerland. The Quiksilver rider is now World Freeride Champion 2010, taking his place in the freeride hall of fame.

Having won just about every Freestyle accolade over the last ten years (including three golds at the Aspen Winter X Games in the Big Air, Super Pipe and Slopestyle) Candide had missed the last two years of competition through injury.

During his layoff, he concentrated mainly on film production and direction, with the Candide Kamera. This season, the legend has made a stunning comeback on the competitive stage. But this time around, hes freeriding.

His warm-up outing at the Red Bull Linecatcher in Vars was rewarded with an immediate victory. And so on to the Freeride World Tour. The skier from La Clusaz began in imperious fashion with a win in the first stage in Chamonix in late January, and followed that up with a 2nd place finish in the second leg of the Tour in early February (which was actually the postponed inaugural stage, originally due to take place in Sochi but ultimately held in Chamonix).

Candide competing at Verbier                                  Photo: J Hadik, FWT

After finishing further down the scoreboard at Squaw Valley (in 17th), Candide arrived in Verbier occupying second place in the provisional rankings, and with plenty of work to do. Poor weather saw the event delayed, and Candide and the rest of the field were forced to wait until Sunday when the conditions improved.

And so, Candide launched himself, for the very first time, from the Bec des Rosses, a dizzyingly high slope chosen as the starting point for the worlds top freeriders to display their skills. With a smooth and controlled run, Candide bagged a third podium finish in four events, and gained the ultimate reward as he was crowned as the very best freerider on the planet, alongside fellow Frenchman Xavier De Le Rue, winner of the snowboard category.

FWT overall podium L-R Henrik Winstedt 3rd, Candide Thovex 1st and Kaj Zachrisson 3rd     Photo: C Margot/ FWT

Quote for Candide

Candide Thovex (FRA) Freeride World Champion 2010 Ski / 3rd Nissan Xtreme by Swatch
 Every one says I am the rookie, but Im not! I have always been freeriding, since I was a kid. I am a skier. Freestyle, freeride, I ski whatever I enjoy. I have been inspecting the Bec des Rosses face really thoroughly. I was quite nervous and impressed by this big, committed face. It was really impressive at the top. Xavier de Le Rue gave me a lot of advice at the start he was so confident and I was pretty nervous. I chose an easier jump in the end as my legs were so tired. I wanted to do the Freeride World Tour because it is just great to ski with riders like Aulien Ducroz, Kaj Zackrisson, Henrik Windstedt and Julien Lopez. I am astounded to be surrounded by such amazing athletes.

Candide's 3rd place run from Verbier