a freestyle skier jumping through the air

Born to Be Show 2017 review

Annual spectacular show by the Club des sports La Plagne

Location: Plagne Villages
Imprint: By Stuart Hamilton, Updated 26 June 2017

La Plagne’s annual Born to Be Show attracted thousands to the Jean-Luc Crétier Stade de Slalom in Plagne Centre on Thursday evening as local skiers and snowboarders put on a spectacular winter sports display.

The show, now in its 6th year, is a celebration of skiing and snowboarding in the area and featured presentations from the local ESF instructors (Ecole du Ski Français), rescue teams and pisteurs as well as exhibitions by future ski and snowboard talent.

Entertainments opened at lunchtime with a barbecue followed by various warm up acts before the main event – the ski and snowboard displays under the floodlights at 6.45pm. The French holidays are still in full swing at the moment so consequently a huge crowd gathered at the Front de Neige to view the show.

The floodlights dimmed briefly as the ESF opened proceedings with a stunning synchronised torchlight descent, etching a beautiful fiery glow onto the hillside. Next came a display of tandem snowboarders and quad skiers – and yep, this is as weird as it sounds - two riders on a single snowboard and four skiers on a pair of skis. Unlikely to be the next big thing but impressive nonetheless.

Various other demos followed including downhill snow biking and ESF ski and snowboard displays before a particularly striking synchronised descent by some of the younger ski racers.

However the highlight was undoubtedly the big air display, complete with fire-breather, held on a specially-built kicker at the side of the main slalom piste. Snow hasn’t exactly been in abundance in La Plagne this season and the slope was set like concrete after a particularly warm day.

Nonetheless, the kids stepped up with an impressive exhibition including back rodeo 5’s by the snowboarders and double back-flips by the skiers. All very impressive given the bullet-proof conditions.

The show wound up with a final synchronised ski display followed by a demonstration by two of the resort’s huge winchcat Kassbohrer piste machines, hauling their way effortlessly up the super steep slalom piste.

A short raffle ceremony followed to win a car before the show closed with a spectacular ten minute fireworks display. The French do love their fireworks.

Organised by the Club des Sports La Plagne, the Born to Be Show is now a firm favourite in the resort’s calendar and will be sure to return next year to coincide with the end of the French mid-term holiday season. It's definitely worth a look if you happen to find yourself in La Plagne next February.

Stuart Hamilton is the Creative Director of iRide Ski and Snowboard App - a new skiing and snowboarding app, available now on Apple iOS and Android.

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