2007 event: Info ¦ Report ¦ Results ¦ Gallery One, Two ¦ Video
Moving only a few pistes over from the event's previous home in the Val d'Isere Winter Park, this year saw the Natives Workers Challenge Scott Dunn Skier/Boarder X-challenge take place on the Tignes Boardercross track on Piste Du Signal. It may have been only a short distance to move, but there was a definite change in vibe on the hill.
Tignes Development produce awesome course
 The Tignes course is situated next to the resort's freeride terrain, providing a stunning backdrop to what was a more a chilled out event than previously. Not that the course provided relaxation. Using the natural countours of the hill, the Tignes Development course shapers had created a stunning & challenging boardercross (or skiercross depending on your means of travel).
A couple of berms lead into some rollers, before a natural right-hand berm lead the racers over a steep drop into a sharp left-hander with more camel bumps. A final right-hand turn dropped away into a compression, which then led riders uphill onto a jump with an immediate 90 hard left on landing. Another steep drop brought racers careering into the finish jump and the cheering crowd.
Radio Will, legend of the airwaves, entertains the crowd
 With Espace Killy commentating icon, Radio Will, over from his day job on the Val d'Isere airwaves, everybody was kept informed and amused all afternoon long in both English & French. However, even Will was challenged by the arrival of a hard-skiing posse from Heidelberg University. Bilingual he may be, but providing commentary in German as well was a step too far. Happily our Teutonic brethren (as usual) spoke excellent English.
Topless people bask in sun, BBQ smoke & Scott Dunn freebies
 With blue skies & weather so good that there were even topless people parading around in the suntrap of the finish area, it was the perfect day to spend nestled away in one of Tignes' most lovely spots, listening to the pumping tunes & enjoying the quality barbecue provided by Tignes Development. Those on hand were also lucky enough to benefit from event sponsor Scott Dunn - they provided onlookers & racers alike with information on working for one the best tour operators in the Alps and handed out the infamous Scott Dunn luxury goodie bags.
Rossignol skis & snowboards ensure season worker interest
Rossignol, Natives equipment partner, had ensured that the actual competition would be as fierce as ever. Skiers were competing for Rossignol skis; while boarders were racing for a couple of gorgeous Rossignol snowboards. With Bolle eyewear prizes, SH+ helmets, Rossignol softwear, Natives gear, Ride Freesport DVDs, Respect The Mountain t-shirts & those ever-popular Scott Dunn goodie bags, the total prize pot came to over 3,000euros. No wonder, the skiers and snowboarders were looking highly-focussed in the start gate.
Qualification proves highly competitive
 Qualification came and went in a flurry of skis, boards & cheering spectators. The Heidelberg posse were proving hard to beat. They posted the 3 fastest times of the day & their coach came in in fourth. They were all in Tignes while training for an instructor qualification - the chance to race a skiercross with some top prizes on offer proved irresistible. Justin Lyon-Taylor proved some holiday-makers still have it by finishing qualification in 7th place and thereby winning the Guest category as well. For the snowboarders, the French were dominating the early stages. The top four seeds into the final were all local riders on flying form.
Photoski.eu filming for Natives YouTube
With Adam Johnston from Photoski.eu chronicling the event for the Natives YouTube webpage on video (final edit coming soon), and Annabel & Suze taking photos, the riders were soon strutting their steeze for the cameras on what was without doubt one of the most stunning days of the season.
Head-to-head-to-head-to-head...
With four riders racing head to head in the finals, it was always going to be a full-on action-packed afternoon. It lived up to its billing. In the girls competition, it was a tale of two Lauras. On the skier front, ex-BUDS racer, Laura Alexander-Williams came through from a slow qualification run to storm into an unassailable lead early on in the race and ride off with the women's title.
 
Cornish Pasties make the difference
On the snowboarding front, one lass dominated from start - Radio Will was heard to comment that it might be due to her exceptional talent with Cornish Pasties (apparently she makes the best ones in the Alps). Whatever the reason, Laura Bailey was unbeatable on the day. She secured the title & a Rossignol freeride board for her efforts.
French snowboarder rides off with Rossignol snowboard
The male snowboarding saw a couple of local riders take each other out on the final jump and turn, letting Greg Lehoux steal from fourth to second in the last few yards. However, the victor was already safely out of harm's way and soaring to a clear victory. Yohan Magat proved the fastest on the day and his grin on receiving his fantastic Rossignol snowboard demonstrated just how stoked he was to be the Natives Workers Challenge Scott Dunn Boardercross champion.
 
Heidelberg Massive clean up on skis
On the ski front, it did end up as an all Heidelberg affair. The crowd's sympathies were very clear. One rider was wearing an awesome turquoise all-in-one ski suit - already the crowd's favourite, could Stefan Holter use the support to his favour to overhaul fastest qualifier, Tim Thumulka? In fact, the first rider through the finish line was Chris Zangerl, their race coach: however, as he himself acknowledged as he approached the finish, he had missed a gate & was therefore disqualified.
One-piece Holter steers to 'splendid' win
So, with a wickedly brutal cut-turn off the last kicker, it was indeed Stefan Holter in the one-piece who held off friend & rival Tim Thumulka to claim the Natives Workers Challenge Scott Dunn Skiercross champion. He was super-stoked by the result and described it to the cheering throng at the prize-giving in perfect, but Germanically-accented English as both "splendid" & "marvellous".
Crowded House hosts Scott Dunn X-Challenge prize-giving
 So ended the final leg of the 2007 Natives Workers Challenge series. With the prize-giving and after-party in Crowded House afterwards, the carousing went on into the night, as participants celebrated their feats at the Workers Challenge Scott Dunn Skier/Boarder X-Challenge.
We are already looking forward to returning for the 2008 event next year.
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