For his first season on the Freeride World Tour, Candide Thovex could not have hoped for better? After surprising us all with a storming entry on the scene at Chamonix (even if we knew he was strong whatever the terrain), today he has reached the pinnacle of his freeriding career as he takes home the tour title in all its glory.

On paper he needed only to beat the excellent Henrik Windstedt (another skier sprouting from the world of freestyle) in today?s final stage in order to win the title. Nobody imagined that the 2 rivals would tie for 3rd place. (With Kaj Zachrisson in 1st and Aurelien Ducroz in 2nd place today).

But the maths has the final word; the rankings being based on the best 3 results of the 4 stages. Candide is World Champion, in front of Kaj Zachrisson and Henrik Windstedt!

Candide was making no compromises this morning in Verbier. By choosing the riskiest line and riding it with speed and ease, he proved that, well?there was really nothing left to prove. Ok, so he didn?t actually win the mythic Bec des Rosses, but a podium position on a first try (in fact it was the first time Candide had ever skied this face) is pretty good.

So the Freeride World Tour has a new champion, and no mistakes, the discipline as a whole has just taken a major kick up the backside.

All in all, a good day for the Frenchies, which also sees Xavier De la Rue making up for his Olympic plight and taking home the snowboarding title.