Is This The Most Underrated Ski Event？ (Still))

We're here at my favorite event. Up next, Alex Hackle. And this is a kid who loves to send. Litter is doing a triple! When you think of a competition in the backcountry, you probably think of something like this. Anybody in here, Christopher Trudell, crossbar. Or this. With conditions like this. But what if I told you there was a backcountry event that only ran in good conditions, with well-made jumps throughout the entire course. It's called the Nanda Backcountry Invitational. It's underrated and it's my favorite ski event. I have three reasons why, but more on that shortly. This video is sponsored by Out of Optics. My goal today is to have some fun and try and get above fifth place. It's my third time competing. Every other time I've gone to fifth. This event is super unique. There's not many events like this whatsoever. The Nanda Backcountry Invitational is rider judged. All runs count towards your score. After each run, the riders vote for their top five skiers. These votes are accumulated and the overall top five riders receive points. After each run, they take the leaderboard and drop people in reverse order. There's no telling what the plan is. The competition is now about to start and the first rider to drop in is Timo, who recently qualified for the Freeride World Tour and is known for sending it. With a huge 360 off the top flip, stomped bolts. That's what we like to see. Another 360. Natural hit out there. He does send it double back to the first of the day. As he comes into the final hit with a smooth 360, finding some hip tranny. What a first run by Timo. The course is looking really good today. Which brings me to the first of three reasons why it's my favorite competition. The course. You normally either have perfectly groomed jumps and landings or no jumps and soft landings. This competition is the only one that offers groomed takeoffs and soft landings, making it one of the most enjoyable top to bottom runs I ski all year. Let's go back to the top here as we have Mr. Mikko Brandt. Jake is a hungry up-and-coming skier and this will be my first time watching him ski. Going for a backflip off the top clip, stomping that one clean as he works down into the middle section here. What's he got for us? Double cork 1080. Absolutely stomp. Gentlemen, this was a highlight of the day. I think this is like the first run without any mistake. It feels great. I don't want to claim anything yet. I'm going to be modest about it. Next up is Sebi Moll from St. Anton, Austria. Sebi is one of the most stylish riders in this field of athletes. Austrian rider here on course Sebi Moll. The nice cork 720. Oh, beautiful cork 720. Sebi is putting on a style show for us right now. Whoa! Messing here at the bottom. We start seeing some new stuff. Oh, no. Very happy that I made it out of here. So what do you think? You've got even more to give on the second run, huh? I would not like to crash in the last hit, but other than that, yeah. All right, let's go. This is Jordan Ray sending it. As he comes into the central kicker. Whoa! Over-rotating a cork 1080. Jump. Yeah, I feel massive last hit. Unfortunately. It's really easy to get too psyched up watching other people's runs. But with all three runs counting this year, I will need to make sure to put down the landing gear so I can start accumulating points and avoid another fifth place finish. And try and get above fifth place. Up next on course, none other than Alex Hackl. Clean cork 720 with the double Japan grab showing off that style on his 1000 skis. Okay, Alex is looking for consistency. All right, Alex opening up new terrain here. Nice, with a little flat to end up in. Let's go, my man! So much fun. Smoothest run to the day. 1000 skis co-founder Alex Hackl. How are you? Out of breath. Loving life. It's an amazing day. This run's unbelievable. Nice. Leo is a veteran and has spent many years competing on the Freeride World Tour. Side probably to a natural hit. And standing! Beautiful, Becky. Yes, this is Freeride. Leo's limit on course. Double flat spin for Leo. Leo, you're young forever. Well done, Leo. Yes. After run one, I'm sitting in fourth place. But before we get to the next two runs, where anything can happen, let me tell you about the second of three reasons why this is my favorite competition. The conditions. Instead of the typical two to three day weather period that most Freeride competitions have, the Nendal Backcountry Invitational has a one month weather window. This helps guarantee safer conditions and allows the athletes to push their abilities. He's got it to himself with the triple front flip. Currently in eighth after his first run, the 2023 European Junior Champion. A clean court 720. He is the man with the nose butter 1080. Very impressive freestyle trick to be putting down in this course. That's right. That's what he said. You are stomping it. How cool. Yes, Jordan is. Here comes Sebi, who is currently in fifth place. Hot spot there. Sebi with the cork seven nose grab. Always stylish. The huge double flat spin Japan. Even though Sebi went down, there's been a lot of crashes. He's still not out of contention yet. Watching some of these kids. Absolutely insane. Some amazing runs and just super, super hyped right now. See you after run two. Hopefully we have some good news. And try and get above fifth place. Before I drop in, let me quickly tell you about the sponsor of this video. Out of Optics. I'm wearing the Out of Electra 2s, which uses their signature ERID technology. They have a battery free sensor that allows for the lenses to adjust tint in under one second. This is super helpful on a day where the weather is constantly changing. I also have been reading your comments about helmets. I'm happy to say that I'm now using the Out of Liner helmet. I like it because it's simple, lightweight, versatile, and most importantly, it looks good with my kid. Thank you Out of for sponsoring this video. If you want to support the channel, go check out the link to the description to Out of Optics website. And try and get above fifth place. Although I do believe that Mr. Hackle did have some freestyle training. This is a skier who came from the streets. Now he is here in the backcountry floating huge Quartz 720 double Japan grass. The best possible conditions, of course, cannot make up for user error. And I have somehow found a way to crash on the owing hard snow around. Unfortunately for me, my hopes of landing all three runs is out the window. But depending on how the others go, two landed runs could still be enough to end up on the podium. You hurt somewhere or no? Just the wind knocked out of me. Ouch. But you're OK? We're all good. Mr. Slemet showed us his experience on his first run tactically. Changing line and heading riders right with a beautiful double. Leo crashed his second run and opted out of his third, which means he's no longer in podium contention. Back to the top where Timo, who's currently in second, is about to drop in. As he lands a beautiful backflip taking a page out of Leo Slemet's book there. Another big backflip. Dubbed 10. Stop alert like nobody's business. Timo, Timo, Timo. What a run. Timo out here finishing. The final reason why this event is my favorite event is camaraderie. The shared experience of everyone having their best run of the year together and cheering each other on creates a bond between all of the athletes that have not experienced in other competitions. That top to bottom run was by far the cleanest, putting a lot of pressure on the current leader, Jake. Exactly. And Jake Lee dropping on the rider's right. Oh my goodness. How did he bring that around? Jake going for the absolutely huge double backflip and just... He's ready for run three. Heading into run three, I'm in seventh place. With only one person landing both runs so far, I'm still in contention. But to break the fifth place curse and try and get above fifth place, I will need to stomp this run. Now that I've landed my third run, the only thing I can do is sit and watch as all the riders ranked above me take on their third run. Gotta, you gotta have a thought about it. Sebby Moll is having a thought about it. Yes, buddy. Just sending it. Sebby Moll making the only right decision right now to go full on free ride. Oh, beautiful. The only, the best trick. Backflip, mute. Sebby putting on a show for us right now on his final run. What's he got for us? Final jump. Yes. Oh no. Sebby had a great run going until that last jump. And I think he still has a chance to end up on the podium. Jordan Ray is on course next. He's looking to be the same classy guy. Yes, and he is. It was a really, really nice entrance. This right side of the course here getting a little bit more play than in the earlier runs. With the double, oh. Jordan's crash means that he will no longer be in podium position, leaving the spot open for either Sebby or me. After stomping his first run and crashing on his second, Jake is looking to put the pressure on Timo. This is the story of the day. Jake Miller is doing a triple backflip and stomping it. What just happened? What a show, and Jake Miller just... Yeah, doing, just completing our biggest dream. I don't think even Jake knows what just happened. I've never seen one stop better than that and it's in a contest. Oh, it's the best moment of my life. I can't lie. Wow. With the pressure turned up to 10, Timo is about to drop in for his third and final run. One rider left to drop, the last rider on course today. Ladies and gentlemen, Timo Rosholm. Nice, clean Cork 720. Behind his head. I dig his style today. Oh, loving that flat spin three with the safety. Nice little 360. Very stylish. 720 is 360s. What's he got for us on his last hit of the day? Great run. Now that all three runs are done, it's time to put in our final vote and find out who's on the podium. I think I should get better than fifth. I'm trying to get above fifth place. Oh, this is always a painful one to really help. In fourth place, it's our man Alex Hackel. In third place, Sebby Moore. In second place, Jake Miller. If you enjoyed this, make sure to click on the suggested video.