Friends for many years, there’s barely a shred of rivalry between them. A passion for skiing and a little bit of madness made sure of that. And that’s just as well for us when it comes to following their adventures at home or in competitions in all four corners of the world.
Although they have the same coach, they each have their own style, their own lines and their own very different take on things. As a standard interview would be dead boring, we thought it’d be better to find out what they thought of each other by comparing descriptions of one another. Basically, one of them answers the other’s questions and we’ll see if they match up. If you don’t get what we mean, read on and it’ll all make sense.
Legend has it that when you’ve got great virgin slopes and snow at home, you can freeride!
Just as well – we have everything we need here and the athletes are there to prove it. After a brilliant season on the Freeride World Tour, where they finished 2nd and 4th respectively, we wanted to find out more about our two champions Astrid Cheylus and Manon Loschi.
Astrid Cheylus
21, a student at the University of Lausanne business school. Freeride World Tour ski runner-up 2024.
HER SEASON: “I went along under no pressure, to watch, gain experience and learn. My goal was to make the cut and take part in the whole World Tour, without setting the bar too high. This trial year went really well for me and I learnt a great deal”.
ASTRID AS SEEN BY MANON:
She’s a really cool, very funny person. She always gives everything she’s got and is motivated to do lots of things. We’ve known each other since I was at Evolution 2, so about seven years ago, and we still have a great time together.
Her main quality:
She’s a perfectionist. She likes to do things well and not by halves!
Her main fault:
She’s a perfectionist… Ha ha ha! And more seriously, she goes to bed late. The night before competitions, she’s always on the phone in the evening and I really like to get my eight hours of sleep.
Her favourite drink:
Beer. After a competition or a good session, just to unwind, right!
Your favourite thing to do with her:
Skiing, of course!
Your favourite thing to do with her, apart from skiing:
Doing silly things in hotels! On the Freeride World Tour, everyone’s up for messing around, so as soon as there’s a party, it all kicks off. In the hotel in Austria, there was a hatch in the wall next to our room where the cleaners put the dirty laundry. So, on the last day, we got inside and slid down to the laundry room. We landed in a big laundry basket, and that was that. Just like in the films!
Music that sums her up:
Wow, that’s hard! Oh yes, there’s ‘Reggae Shark’ by The Key of Awesome. It’s a private joke. She’ll understand!
If she had a superpower:
These are tough questions… I think that like everyone, she would like to fly.
If you had to go to a desert island with her, what three things would you take with you?
I’d take a speaker to play music because everyone likes music. Then, you need to survive, so a knife to hunt with. And last but not least, sweets!
If Astrid was a ski:
A freeride ski, directional, very rigid, 110 on the waist. So, a charger ski!
What if she was a trick?
A backflip. She does backflips everywhere, all the time. And they’re perfect!
And what would you like her to be reincarnated as?
I’d say a migratory bird because she heads to the sun to surf in summer and in winter… Well, no, that doesn’t work! So, I’m going to say a Golden Retriever. She’s got the temperament of a Golden Retriever, quite funny, always in a good mood. What’s more, she’s had one in the past!
Manon Loschi
22, a student on a Professional Marketing Technology degree course in Annecy.
HER SEASON: “For me, freeriding is a battle against yourself. If you win, it’s thanks to you; if you lose, it’s your fault too. And this year, it was a great experience, but mentally, I found it quite frustrating to be travelling and competing all the time, while others were skiing all winter long. The pace is specific to me, especially compared to last year when I took the opportunity to make some films and have great sessions with my mates. On the other hand, it’s so much fun travelling with other riders, getting together and having a good laugh”.
MANON AS SEEN BY ASTRID:
She’s passionate about skiing. She’s in her own world when shredding the gnar; she’s a super strong rider and that’s something rare. On a human level, Manon is a simple sort of person who lives for the moment without getting worked up. She likes to laugh at nothing in particular and do daft things, but once she’s competing, she’s got real fighting spirit.
Her main quality:
Talking drivel.
Her main fault:
She goes to bed early and I have to let her sleep in, especially when competing. We’re not really in the same time zone and don’t have the same sleep patterns, I think.
Her favourite drink:
Red Bull. As the sponsor dictates, she has plenty in stock. It’s not alcohol, that’s for sure.
Your favourite thing to do with her:
Mmmm… well, skiing!
Your favourite thing to do with her, apart from skiing:
I think we’d both agree that we really enjoy messing around together, whether on trips, in hotels, playing jokes on other people around us, singing in the car… you name it!
Music that sums her up:
That’s not an easy one. Even though there’s so much music out there, I’d say Nas, like the track ‘Shootouts’.
If she had a superpower:
She already has one; it’s her style on skis.
If you had to go to a desert island with her, what three things would you take with you?
A speaker, well, something to play music on, food to survive and a surfboard to have fun.
If Manon was a ski:
So, it would be a small ski, quite wide, a bit rigid… I’d say a Reckoner 112 from K2.
What if she was a trick?
It has to be a 3.6!
And what would you like her to be reincarnated as?
As a dog, and more specifically a Golden Retriever, because she has one, she talks about it all the time, it’s a bit crazy like her and it’s a bit like her best friend.
