2023 FJWC judges announced!

Less than one month before the 2023 YETI Freeride Junior World Championships Kappl by Dynastar starts! One of the most important part of the competiton is the judging part, the judging for FJWC is done by a panel of experienced freeride judges who are trained to evaluate the competitors based on a set of criteria that includes technical difficulty, style, control, and overall impression. The judges have been freshly selected and here they are! 

Laurent Gauthier, also known as Larry, is a Canadian ski athlete and freeride judge. He was born on November 29, 1984 in Canada and began skiing at the young age of 4. He started snowboarding in 1994 and has participated in the Free Skiing World Tour and the Freeride World Tour. Some of his notable results include winning the Canadian open and placing third at the Verbie Xtreme. 

As a freeride judge, Larry looks for skiers who make the most out of the venue, demonstrate creativity, and display fluidity and speed in their line. He has been a judge since 2018 and has had the opportunity to see many memorable lines and actions, including Marcus Eder's performance in Fieberbrunn in 2020. Larry enjoys being a judge allowing him to witness the progression of the sport and see riders with different styles.

Rachel Croft is an American ski athlete and freeride judge. She was born on June 4, 1988 in Seattle and has been skiing since the age of 2. She has participated in several freeride competitions, including the Fieberbrunn FWT18 where she placed third and overall placed sixth in the FWT18.

In addition to her competitive skiing career, Rachel has also been involved in judging junior freeride competitions in Colorado and has coached at over 100 junior events, including the FJWC 2018. She became a judge on the FWT in 2022. As a judge, Rachel looks for athletes who execute a good straightline and appreciates seeing the sport progress every year. One of her most memorable lines on the FWT was Oakley White-Allen's Bec straightline in Verbier in 2012. Rachel enjoys being a judge because it allows her to see the sport up close and get a firsthand look at how it is progressing.

Bertrand Dénervaud, also known as "Berti", is a former snowboarding professional who distinguished himself in all disciplines of the sport, particularly in half-pipe between 1992 and 2002. He has more than 50 podiums finishes to his name and qualified for the Olympic Games in Nagano. Berti, together with Lolo Besse, developed and created the current FWT judging system. Berti has been a judge on the Xtreme of Verbier and FWT since 1998.

Manuela Mandl, also known as Manu, is an Austrian snowboard athlete and judge. She has been judging junior and qualifying events since 2017 and is the FWT world champion of 2018. Manu is also the winner of the Verbier extreme in 2022.