https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7izYvhHXLkk

One name is synonymous with Line Of The Winter and Leo Taillefer has done it again. Having taken home the $20,000 overall prize last year, this year he surpassed even himself, coming up with the winning entry in 3 of the 4 months LOTW was contested. It seemed that the question this year was not who would take home the $20k grand prize this year, but which of Leo's lines would be chosen. You can see how much the win means to Leo in the above cut of GoPro's surprise winner announcement, and it couldn't happen to a nicer guy. It's pretty rare that anything outside of slope/pipe comps makes its way in to the mainstream media, and Leo's lines are, in my opinion, some of the best coverage the 'sport' could get, with his February entry even featuring in the UK's most conservative tabloid shiterag the Daily Mail. Keep your eyes peeled for a full interview with Leo right here on NS this fall.

Meanwhile, check out all of Leo's entries from this winter in full.

February

https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/834967/GoPro--L----o-Taillefer-wins-the-February-2016-Line-of-the-Winter--Val-d--------ls----re--France

March, joint winner with Blaine Gallivan

https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/826684/GoPro--Line-of-the-Winter-March-2016-Co-winner-L----o-Taillefer

April, when in doubt, send it at night...

https://www.newschoolers.com/videos/watch/827448/GoPro-Line-of-the-Winter--L----o-Taillefer---Val-d--------Is----re--France-04-30-16---Snow

My record when it comes to commenting on competitive skiing could certainly be described as controversial and I'm still not totally convinced that any art can be judged and retain its integrity. But props are due to GoPro here for coming up with and backing a competition format which allows entrants both complete freedom of choice of line AND a sizeable prize purse. Let's hope we see the whole thing again, bigger and better next year.