{"id":1775106,"date":"2026-02-17T02:43:03","date_gmt":"2026-02-16T23:43:03","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1775106"},"modified":"2026-02-17T02:43:03","modified_gmt":"2026-02-16T23:43:03","slug":"lcz-freestyle-week-a-cultural-celebration-in-the-spiritual-home-of-french-freeskiing","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/?p=1775106","title":{"rendered":"LCZ Freestyle Week: A cultural celebration in the spiritual home of French freeskiing"},"content":{"rendered":"
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LCZ Freestyle Week returns with a bang hosting Europa Cups events and a nighttime freestyle show in La Clusaz.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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The week kicked off with back-to-back Europa Cup contests, gathering the best riders from across the continent to compete on the storied slopes of La Clusaz. As has become typical at the La Clusaz Europa Cup, the level of runs put down in the slopestyle final was off the charts. Perfect weather, a new-improved jump line and excellent snow conditions gave the riders the ideal opportunity to show off their best skiing\u2014and what a show it was.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Finnish rider, Severi Silvander took the win on a day when more than fifteen runs scored higher than an 85, with a run that included a switch triple 1260, a switch left double cork 900 bring back 720, and a left 270 on continuing front cork 630 out. Local style purveyor Kadi Gomis, finished the day in second place with a predictably steezy full-pull, poking a front cork 450 off the cannon and ripping into a switch left double cork 1800 safety at the bottom.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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On Saturday, the center of town was abuzz with excitement, and not only in anticipation of the night\u2019s festivities. Many local athletes, born and raised in La Clusaz, were competing on the world stage at the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games; from alpine racers to biathlete sharp-shooters.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

In the afternoon, much of the town gathered under a big screen in a fan-zone-like area in the central square. Young and old came together to join much of the local freestyle club in cheering on homegrown star, Tim Sivignon, in the men\u2019s slopestyle qualifications. Only in La Clusaz could you find a mainstream sport atmosphere for freeskiing, with no doubt many of Tim\u2019s childhood friends, school teachers, ex-coaches, neighbours and family friends turning out to support.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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It wasn\u2019t to be Tim\u2019s day however, as a collective gasp and groan rang out outside the church, as Tim fell again on his second run. This was followed quickly by generous applause and cheers of proud appreciation for the efforts of one of La Clusaz\u2019s own. Some towns have die hard football fans, La Clusaz has freeski ultras.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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The crowd that had turned out to watch a slopestyle qualification was impressive, but it was dwarfed by the sea of people that came to watch the evening\u2019s legendary LCZ Freestyle Show.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Towering above the surrounding buildings of La Clusaz, in the heart of the old part of town, the park shapers had pushed a monstrous pile of snow to create a big air jump, complete with a four-story high VIP viewing gallery.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

As the sun set, the music rising and the local MC getting the crowd fired up the LCZ Freestyle Show got under way with a stirring film nostalgically depicting La Clusaz\u2019s long and pivotal part in freestyle skiing\u2019s history: from the days of hotdogging, to the groundbreaking Candide Invitationals, with much focus put on the town\u2019s favourite son himself.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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As night fell, the temperature dropped, the lights took over and the on-snow action heated up. A star-studded cast of local shredders, Club du Sport young-guns, Europa Cup athletes and certified legends of the sport put on a show, taking the adoring crowd through the evolution of freestyle ski tricks on the massive booter.<\/span><\/p>\n

Daffies, Cossacks and twisters started off the night but by the end of the show the likes of Sven Peillex were whipping the crowd into a frenzy, stomping double bios as flames shot into the night sky.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The biggest roars of the night were always in pure adulation whenever a local favourite dropped in. Current stars such as Manon Loschi, fresh from being robbed of a start at the first Freeride World Championships<\/a>, were in the house, showing off her freestyle pedigree. Certified legends Joff Pollet-Villard and David Bonneville were also on hand to make sure every generation of La Clusaz\u2019s embarrassment of talent was on display.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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As the night came to a close, and the last mega-train of riders flipped and spun to the final roars of the knowledgeable crowd, the excitedly fizzing air began to settle as the revellers poured into the nearest bars, excited and inspired by what they had just witnessed.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Some say freestyle skiing has had its hay-day but they underestimate the passion driving the culture in bastions such as La Clusaz and the LCZ Freestyle Week is evidence of that. Check out the recap video below.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n

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Sign up to our newsletter to stay up-to-date on the latest news, videos and happenings in freeskiing.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

LCZ Freestyle Week returns with a bang hosting Europa Cups events and a nighttime freestyle show in La Clusaz. The week kicked off with back-to-back Europa Cup contests, gathering the best riders from across the continent to compete on the storied slopes of La Clusaz. As has become typical at the La Clusaz Europa Cup, […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[226,279],"class_list":["post-1775106","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-uncategorized","tag-crawlmanager","tag-downdays-eu"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1775106","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=1775106"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1775106\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=1775106"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=1775106"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/analyse.optim.biz\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=1775106"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}