The 2026 FWT Val Thorens Pro went down Monday morning in Val Thorens, France. Despite challenging conditions preventing the original competition face on Cime Caron to be used, a brand new venue, Pointe de Thorens, was christened. This steep and playful venue, coupled with bluebird pow conditions, offered endless lines and hits for the riders. This comp saw lots of crashes (about half the mens field), three Val Thorens locals on the podium and the first ever Argentinian woman to come in first place at a Freeride World Tour event.
See the podium results below along with quotes from the champs, videos of the winning runs, a few photos and a longer highlight video at the bottom.
Ski Men
Ben Richards was back on top of the podium for the second comp in a row, beating out the five former World Tour Champions in the field as he dropped last in the men’s category; pushing Joey Leonardo and Ross Tester, two American riders, into second and third place respectively. This category also saw a well-above-average crash rate with about half of the field having some sort of major control issue, many occurring on the same cliff band in the middle of the venue.
- Ben Richards (NZL) – 92.00
- Joey Leonardon (USA) – 89.00
- Ross Tester (USA) – 84.33
“I’m so happy. I took inspiration from Toby and Fynn, who dropped first, and they really helped confirm my line choice. I’m incredibly thankful to them and I can’t believe I won once again. – Ben Richards
Ski Women
Agostina Vietti became the first Argentine woman to finish on top of the podium in the Women’s ski category while the Injury Wildcard Sybille Blanjean out of Switzerlamd finished second in her second comp back from injury, followed up by the American rookie Wynter McBride in third.
- Agostina Vietti (ARG) – 77.33
- Sybille Blanjean (SUI) – 74.33
- Wynter McBride (USA) – 72.00
“My run felt amazing. I did exactly what I wanted to do. I skipped a few features, but the plan worked perfectly and I’m really stoked. I wasn’t as stressed as I used to be at the start gate; I’m learning to manage that energy better. I’ve realized that nerves can actually be a source of strength, and they really help me perform.” – Agostina Vietti
Snowboard Men
Local Val Thorns legend, and four-time Freeride World Tour Champion, Victor de Le Rue earned his spot back on top of the podium in front of his home crowd while American rookie Shayne Blue Sandblom finished second after stomping a massive backie, and the defending event winner, and Val Thorens local, Enzo Nilo took the third spot on the podium,
- Victor de Le Rue (FRA) – 90.67
- Shayne Blue Sandblom (USA) – 87.00
- Enzo Nilo (FRA) – 84.67
“This morning I was a bit nervous, but once we arrived and saw all the fresh powder, everything changed. The conditions were amazing, the crowd was there, and the motivation went through the roof. I even adapted my line at the top because the snow was better than expected. This run was for the people of Val Thorens and the whole riding community, it means a lot to share moments like this with everyone who supports us” – Victor de Le Rue
Snowboard Women
FWT defending chamption, and Val Thorens local, Noémie Equy took the top spot in front of her home crowd followed closely by Anna Martinez, another French rider who’s now secured two second-place finishes, and Tour Rookie Mia Jones, daughter of Jeremy Jones, returned to the podium; this time finishing third, in her second ever FWT comp.
- Noémie Equy (FRA) – 84.00
- Anna Martinez (FRA) – 78.33
- Mia Jones (USA) – 64.67
“I’m really happy. From the start of the day I felt great and completely in the right headspace. At the top, I was just enjoying the view, you can see the Glacier de Thorens, and it’s a place I truly love to ride. Being at home made it even more special. I felt no stress at all, just fully in the flow during my run. It was the perfect feeling.” – Noémie Equy
Extended comp highlights
The next stop of the Freeride World Tour heads the Caucasus Mountains for the third stop of the season: the Georgia Pro Feb 22-28th. And don’t miss FIS Freeride World Championships Andorra 2026 taking place from February 1-6th, where the first FIS Freeride World Champions will be crowned.
