At the end of August, Argentina hosted their first ever Official International 4* IFSA Freeride World Tour Qualifier. The comp was held on the beautiful Cerro Martin venue in Las Leñas, boasting 300 vertical meters of steeps and cliffs for the athletes to showcase their skill. This event was part of Las Leñas Freeride Week where Argentine, South American & International competitors aimed to earn qualifying points for the ‘Challengers’ that will take place this winter in the northern hemisphere, with hopes of ultimately qualifying for the Freeride World Tour. In addition to the Adult 4* competition, there was also an Adult 2* and Junior 3* comps during freeride week.
This event, and all official Argentinian freeride events, was put on by Freeride Argentina. Their mission is: “to develop, promote, and professionalize competitive freeriding in Argentina with an international vision, through the organization of competitions and the training of coaches, judges, and race directors. They also aim to foster a community committed to respect, camaraderie, fair competition, mountain safety, and environmental protection.”
The Freeride Argentina organization was founded by Ignacio Bertona & Gonzalo Lopatin. Ignacio Bertona, a freeride athlete & coach, and Gonzalo Lopatin, an instructor, international judge, technical director, & competition organizer. Here’s what the two founders had to say regarding Las Leñas Freeride Week:
Ignacio Bertona: “Freeriding is back at Las Leñas! Since that first 2* in 2023, the growth has been exponential. Las Leñas Freeride Week is much more than a competition: it’s a comprehensive experience for athletes and the public. In 2024, we welcomed athletes from 16 different nationalities, and this year, with Argentina’s first 4* we hosted athletes from the United States, Canada, Spain, France, Sweden, Check Republic, India, China, Japan, Chile and many more .”
Gonzalo Lopatin: “This achievement is the result of many years of work, perseverance, and passion. What began as a dream in 2013 has now exceeded all expectations. To have a 4* competition in Las Leñas, an athlete qualified for the Freeride World Tour, and three for the FIS World Championship… I couldn’t have imagined it in my wildest dreams. And the best part is that this is just the beginning. The Las Leñas Freeride Week will be an absolute party, a celebration of Freeride like we’ve never experienced before in Argentina.”
Comp Results
Ski Men:
1) Abel Moga
2) Sam Westgate
3) Adria Millan
4) Jake Muller
5) Ignacio Bertona
6) Mike Macblane
7) Tiernan Bridges
8) Jokin Ruiz De Larrameni. Roa
9) Franco Ballarini
10) Keelan Woodard
Ski Women: 1) Abril Bertzky
2) Ione Gangoiti Perez
3) Galena Wardle
4) Marika Hanson
5) Rachel Shannon
6) Zara Haddad
7) Alice Hunter
8) Ignacia Cantellano Palomera
Snowboard Women:
1) Julieta Perez
2) Isidora Aguirre
Snowboard Men:
1) Nicholas Carroll
2) Cedric Giraudeau
3) Tadeo Leslie
4) Shuo Xu
5) Gregory Renner
6) Diego Ceron
7) Fermin Alonso
8) Jeremie Allaire
9) Matthew Podelnyk 10) Daryl Garber
Check out the full comp replay and a few highlight photos by Zachary Gallardo courtesy of Freeride Argentina below
