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Chamonix Freeride Days 2007

featured in News & reviews Author Chris Richard, Updated

As the end of the season draws to a close, rather than see it out with a fizzle, Chamonix Freeride Days marks the last big bash of the winter in the valley. Normally held on the last weekend of the Grands Montets ski area, the event this year was brought forwards by a week (the Grands Montets shuts next weekend) due to uncertainty over the conditions right up until the end.

The Grands Montets skiing area plays host to the event providing mad-cap entertainment in the form of music, big air, a waterslide and lots of beer. The event is essentially a last gasped effort by the locals and seasonaires to really hurt themselves on the rails or the big wall that are set up at Lognan ski area. If that fails to entertain, there is still drowning by waterslide, or attempting the slide topless as has been done by brave kids in previous years! If hopefuls don't make it across the slide as there is a hot tub waiting for them to dip into!

There were lots of people still skiing and taking the top-lift (although we have to confess to utter laziness and just went for the spectacle), but the conditions were heavy at the bottom, which is to be expected.

In the hot summer conditions, this year's merriment included a Rock theme for the fancy-dress, won by a very alive looking Elvis. And we were treated to several aerial acrobatic displays from championship winning paragliders and the Flying Squirrel daredevils who leapt from a helicopter at 4000m and flew at top speed in their wing suits before pulling their parachutes; and for the truly hardy there was the bar at the very top at 3000m - we didn't venture that far ourselves. Another year, another great close... roll on 2007/08!