number 2 in the world tour ranking now!

above is a pic of the face.
...to find out more about the north face masters of snowboarding, check HERE.

here is an analysis of the current situation of the world tour ranking, as posted on the freeride world tour website:
This week’s North Face Masters of Crystal Mountain 2011 by Swatch and Primaloft event once again threw the men’s overall Freeride World Tour snowboard rankings into disarray. With this stage marking the halfway point through the six-event Freeride World Tour 2011 season, the leader board has changed once again with no single rider clearly dominating.
In an event dominated by North Americans, three-time World Freeride Champion Xavier de Le Rue (FRA) placed sixth following a great run that was ruined by a disappointing crash resulting from an over-rotated three at the end. His result was good enough, however, to boost him back to the top position overall with 4360 points.
Flo Orley’s (AUT) fifth place finish at Crystal Mountain was the highest among Freeride World Tour riders and therefore earned him 2000 first-place points in the overall running. This enabled one of the namesakes of the very technical ‘Austrian Style’ of riding to jump into second place overall with 4210 points.
Following his first place finish at the Nissan Freeride Engadin St. Moritz 2011 by Swatch, Matt Annetts (USA), was the overall leader going into the TNF Crystal Mountain event. However, a 14th place finish at Crystal Mountain was only fifth place among FWT riders and so the American with the big smile drops to third place overall with 4100 points.
Mitch Toelderer (AUT) who held the second place position before the TNF Crsytal Mountain did not compete in this first USA event and as a result, drops into sixth.
The race is incredibly tight right now with only 2005 points separating the top seven competitors. Because a first place finish is worth 2000 points, second place 1600 points, and third place 1300 points, it’s still way too early to assume any of the riders have a distinct advantage.
Remember that it is a rider’s three best results that count towards qualification for the final event at Verbier, the Nissan Xtreme Verbier 2011 by Swatch on 19 March. With two events left on the schedule prior to Verbier, anything could happen. For instance, if Mitch Toelderer (AUT), currently in sixth position, wins the next two events, he would go into Verbier as the number one rider in the overall ranking.
So with two more events left to go prior to Verbier there are still loads of questions in everyone’s minds. Is Flo Orley fully locked in again after taking a year off from snowboarding and now showing a clear and steady progression from sixth place in his first event, to third place at Engadin St. Moritz and now first place points from Crystal? Will Douds Charlet and Aurélien Routens be able to find the consistency they need to battle their way to the top of the heap. Or will Xavier de Le Rue, a rider who many believe is the best big mountain rider ever, use his disappointing finishes in the last two events to motivate him to take the top spot in the podium in the next two events?
Shredders, one thing’s for sure. With the depth of talent in a field of riders like this, the title of Freeride World Champion 2011 is still completely up for grabs. Place your bets and stay tuned to FreerideWorldTour.com for all the latest info.


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