Faction teams up with a raging crew from Verbier to light up the 20th edition of the Boss des Bosses in Chamonix

 

 

Under blue skies and with plenty of spring snow still covering the Grand Montets in Chamonix, a team was formed to represent Verbier workers and The Faction Collective. The Boss des Bosses is the largest inter-resort event in the Alps taking place every year in Chamonix, providing seasonal workers and ski bums alike a chance to flash their skills at the long lost art of mogul skiing. Verbier dominated the event during the early 90's but had not partcipated in the event for 10 years until last year with a very poor showing, beating only Courcheval in the competition and not showing off the party culture, which the town is built on as much as skiing.

 

 

So matched up against a strong field of skiers from Meribel, Courcheval, Chamonix, Zermatt and Val d'Isere, including ski legends Glenn Plake and Bruno Compagnet, the Verbier team was first pitted against defending champions Zermatt who always seem to show up with a couple of silent ringers.

 

 

 

With the cheers of 220 Verbier fans who filled a record breaking 4 buses, the well dressed Verbier crew beat Zermatt and moved on to face the other teams. Along the way some of the boys from the Hotel Farinet Apres-Ski joined together in correctly spelled harmony to show what support on the snow is all about. After an early start on the booze it did take a while for them to actually figure out the shapes on their shirts could make a word!

 

 

So after the bumps cleared and with an injury to a poor guy from Val d'Isere the judges saw fit to place Verbier in third behind Zermatt and Chamonix. The distinguished panel included local Chamonix writer and member of The Faction Collective, Jon Trigell, author of Cham, a mystery thriller. As an MC, Jon always has some funny things to say and he certainly kept us all entertained even if the judges' opinions seemed a little too biased towards Zermatt and local favorites Chamonix......we just scared 'em......hehe

 

 

Regardless of the outcome, everyone had a great day with some eventually making calls of "historic". The night in Chamonix was not so pretty with the Verbier posse descending on the mountain city with a vengeance. After many festive shots with all the other teams at La Terrasse and Chambre Neuf, not all of the supporters made it back on the bus to Verbier. Some like Faction Collective advocate Tommy Sturges, woke up in random corners of Chamonix saying, "I lost everything."

Another ten years will not pass of the Boss des Bosses in Chamonix without a solid representation from all that is the pulse of Verbier. Skiing, drinking, dressing up in silly clothes and just having a laugh of a lifetime with friends will never get old here and Faction will support this 100%. Now we just have to find a way to bring all the others into the Pantheon........

 

 

Special thanks to Tom for organizing the event, Jon Trigell for giving Faction plenty of time on the mic, Pub Mt Fort, InBetween, Farinet Apres-Ski, Atelier, T-Bar, and Wonderbar. Last but not least, the poor bus drivers who will never read this but put up with all our s#"t during this long and drunken adventure!! Yee haw!!