HUGO HOFF

Hugo Hoff was a 20-year-old French freerider from Serre-Chevalier, who had joined Alpina’s Alpinists Team in 2020. It is with a heavy heart that Alpina pays homage to this young up-and-coming athlete, who passed away on Sunday May 31 st , 2020, due to a tragic accident in the Mont-Blanc Massif, in France.
Hugo was most definitely a rising star destined to join the greats. Having started off with alpine skiing, he began soul-searching upon turning sixteen and realised he felt a yearning for wider, open spaces and a new challenge. He then decided to try his hand at freeride skiing and joined the Freeski Academy at Les Arcs. He trained tirelessly, pouring heart and soul into honing the tough, competitive mindset this sport requires. Hugo did everything in his power to reach the standard set by the very best riders in his age group, despite a handful of injuries and forced rest periods.
In 2017, he finished joint-first in the Freeride Junior Tour’s Europe/Oceania division, before scooping up first place at the French Freeride Junior Les Arcs 3*. He also won another first-place medal at the Nendaz Freeride Junior 3* and finished second in the Freeride Junior Verbier 3*. In 2019, Hugo came fourth at the Freeride World Qualifier. Alpina is grateful to have been given the chance to collaborate with this incredibly talented skier and expresses its deeper sympathies to his family and friends.

JIM DE PAOLI (CH) - ICE CROSS DOWNHILL ATHLETE 

Born and raised in Geneva in Switzerland. After completing his studies, Jim consecrated the great majority of his time practicing his sport, hundreds of hours of training spent in sports halls or ice rinks. He participated in 59 races and he’s more than motivated to repeat for a new season. The Ice Cross Downhill sport made its debut in January 2001 in Stockholm. With their ice skates, the athletes hurtle down the icy slopes, strewn with obstacles of all kinds, with the only goal being to be first on the finish line. This sport is a symbiosis between Skicross and ice skating. The races are held throughout Europe and North America.

In 2021, Jim finished second in the Invitational World Final 2020/2021 in Moscow, Russia, thus taking the second place of the 2021 Ice Cross Downhill Championship ranking. In the overall World Ranking Men, Jim holds the 8th place.

JULIETTE WILLMANN (FR) - FREERIDER

24-year-old Juliette hails from the Vallée de l’Ubaye in the southern Alps region, and is now based in Chamonix. Having learnt to ski at an incredibly young age, she always knew she wanted to become a professional skier, and initially focused on downhill skiing. After a good few years competing, she found herself drawn to freeriding. She kick-started her first real season as a freeriding competitor in 2016, and much to her surprise and delight, she came second in the European rankings. With her head spinning from her success, the following year she aimed higher than ever before – only to find herself held back by a misfortune double injury that put her out of action for a year.

In 2018, she was back – this time stronger than ever before. She came first in the Freeride World Qualifier, snagging herself a ticket to 2019’s Freeride World Tour. At her first FWT season, she glided in to a respectable seventh place in the overall rankings. She ended the 2021 FWT season holding the 4^th place in the overall ranking.

YANN SCUSSEL (CH) - WATER SPORTS ATHLETE & ADVENTURER 

Yann Scussel, is born in 2000 in Geneva, Switzerland. He quickly became passionate about sports, including water sports such as swimming and water polo, which he practiced at a high level for years. Water has become its element; even some days he is more under water than outside! With his parents, he also had the chance to travel, which gave him the taste of adventure, exploration and nature. Diving is a way for Yann to explore incredible sites and meet fascinating animals. In 2018, he participated to a project in Fiji Islands within the Shark Conservation Project (SCP). Despite his young age, this young adventurer of modern times aims to be able to explore the world and carry out projects that have never been attempted before. Inspired by adventurers like Mike Horn, Yann trains hard every day to prepare for his future “extreme” projects and realize his dreams.

JEAN-FRÉDÉRIC CHAPUIS (FR) - FIS WORLD CUP SKI CROSS SKIER

Born in the Belleville Valley in 1989, this young man has Ski Cross in his blood. This is the story of a skier, born into a Franco-Swiss family with a strong background in skiing. “As a child, he was already a leader with a strong character. He was sensitive, gifted and a bit cheeky at school” according to one of his trainers from Val Thorens. “We knew he would become a great skier, although at the time we thought it would be in Alpine skiing”.  In 2009, at the age of 20, he switched from Alpine skiing to Ski Cross, and in no time was a convert.

Winner of the 2013 FIS Freestyle World Ski Championships and Gold medalist at the Olympic Games in Sotchi (Russia) the same year, Jean-Fred won three consecutive Crystal Globes by discipline in 2015, 2016 and 2017 before finishing second at the World Ski Cross Championship in 2019. In 2021, he finished at the 11^th place of the overall ranking and ended the season with an impressive second place in the Red Bull race taking place in Andermatt, Switzerland.

ROBIN BUFFET (FR) - FIS WORLD CUP ALPINE SKIER 

Robin Buffet alias Bobby (his nickname) was born in Annecy on October 14^th, 1991. The young alpine skier of La Clusaz won the 2016 European Slalom Cup. Robin is not one of those born in a large family of competitors. He led his way alone, by perseverance and hard work. Passionate about winter sports and speed, he is also extremely calm and thoughtful. He made his debut in the World Cup Circuit in January 2012 and won his fourth and final European Cup overall in 2019 in Santa Caterina. In 2020, Robin decided to step out from competition, and joined the Salomon’s ski testing team.

TRISTAN DUGERDIL (FR)- ICE DOWNHILL ATHLETE 

Coming from Morzine-France, Tristan started the sport by practicing ice hockey and skiing in competition until the age of 14. Then, he devoted himself entirely to the Hockey by evolving in the Junior Team of Geneva-Servette. He practices in parallel various sports such as mountain biking, freestyle skiing, skateboarding…His Ice Cross Downhill career began in Lausanne in 2013 after achieving the best time in Swiss national selections. With a degree in Mechanical Design in his pocket, he now devotes himself entirely to his athletic career to win in the world’s skating elite. In 2021, Tristan holds the 20^st place of the World Championship ranking.

Coming from Morzine-France, Tristan started the sport by practicing ice hockey and skiing in competition until the age of 14. Then, he devoted himself entirely to the Hockey by evolving in the Junior Team of Geneva-Servette. He practices in parallel various sports such as mountain biking, freestyle skiing, skateboarding…His Ice Cross Downhill career began in Lausanne in 2013 after achieving the best time in Swiss national selections. With a degree in Mechanical Design in his pocket, he now devotes himself entirely to his athletic career to win in the world’s skating elite. In 2021, Tristan holds the 20^st place of the World Championship ranking.

Coming from Morzine-France, Tristan started the sport by practicing ice hockey and skiing in competition until the age of 14. Then, he devoted himself entirely to the Hockey by evolving in the Junior Team of Geneva-Servette. He practices in parallel various sports such as mountain biking, freestyle skiing, skateboarding…His Ice Cross Downhill career began in Lausanne in 2013 after achieving the best time in Swiss national selections. With a degree in Mechanical Design in his pocket, he now devotes himself entirely to his athletic career to win in the world’s skating elite. In 2021, Tristan holds the 20^st place of the World Championship ranking.

ENAK GAVAGGIO (FR)- FREESTYLE SKIER

Born on May 4th, 1976, French alpine skier, skier-cross, snowboarder, freerider, base jumper and surfer, Enak Gavaggio simply loves anything which enables him to slide. Enak started to ski at 8 years old and his career’s hit list could make most people blush: 7 skier-cross medals at the X-Games, 5x skier-cross WORLD CUP WINNER, 5 medals at the World Championship, and a 4th and 5th place at the Freeride World Tour Championship. His professional career as athlete ended in 2010 at the Vancouver Winter Olympics. Since 2014, Enak has played the well-known role of “Rancho”, a staggered vintage character in a skiing universe themed web show. Now President of Les Arcs Freeski Academy, Enak is known and appreciated both by his peers – for his carrier results and strong personality. A famous and influent face in the French Mountain Industry, he is the only one who is so admired by any kind of winter sports athlete.

NELLY MOENNE-LOCCOZ

Nelly was introduced to the world of alpine skiing at the age of 3, by her father, a ski instructor. Since her very first races in 2000, her parents have been very supportive throughout her career. She quickly grew a passion for snowboarding and swapped her skis for a snowboard. In research of new sensations, snowboard cross became her official discipline. Nelly practices her sport rigorously within the French National Team, in an atmosphere she calls “funformance”, in her words, a happy medium between fun and performance. It’s not surprising once you get to know her outgoing personality. She is part of today’s top world female elite of snowboard cross. As an engaged and dedicated personality, Nelly is committed to reaching podiums. Her innate physical and tactical qualities quickly propelled her to the top of the rankings. Three times Olympic Games participant in 2010, 2014 and 2018, vice-world Champion in 2011 and 2015, Nelly made a sensational season in 2015 by claiming the famous crystal globe in her discipline. Last 2017-2018 season, Nelly finished #3 in the FIS Worldcup Snowboardcross ranking.

VICTOR DE LE RUE (FR) - SNOWBOARDER & FREERIDE WORLD TOUR CHAMPION

French athlete Victor made his snowboarding competition début early on, kicking off with boardercross and freestyle. Passionate and committed, Victor emerged as the French Junior Champion in boardercross, slopestyle and halfpipe. At the tender age of eighteen, he was ranked fourth in the World Cup. Despite these successes, he found himself torn by another dream: to make films. He soon decided to follow his heart and turned his attentions to filming. Thanks to his new-found medium Victor thrived and began expressing his passion for freestyle and adventure. He was voted Best French Rider in 2012, 2013 and 2014, and named Rider of the Year 2015 by Snowboarder magazine.

In 2019, he set himself a fresh challenge: to take part in the Freeride World Tour for the very first time. Victor came top of the overall rankings at the FWT, securing the World Champion title in his category in 2019 and 2021. Victor is also a multi-faceted athlete who also loves freestyle snowboarding, rock-climbing and paragliding – sometimes all at the same time!

VICTOR MUFFAT-JEANDET (FR) - FIS WORLD CUP ALPINE SKIER

Victor Muffat-Jeandet (born 5 March 1989) is a French World Cup alpine ski racer. Born in Aix-les-Bains, Savoie in France, Muffat-Jeandet made his World Cup debut in February 2009 in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia. Rigorous, perseverant and perfectionist, he likes the work well done. He is highly demanding with himself and these requirements are bearing fruits season after season. He achieved his first podium in 2015, a runner-up finish in a super combined at Wengen, Switzerland. He also participated at the 2013 World Championships and 2015 World Championships.

2018 offered him his first participation to the Olympic Games in PyeongChang, where he earned his first medal, a Bronze, in the Alpine combined. He also made his first place in World Cup’s combined in Wengen. In 2020, Victor made two World Cup podiums, earning the third place in both Combined and Giant Slalom at Wengen and Adelboden, Switzerland. In 2021, Victor won the 2^nd place in World Cup Slalom in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, and was crowned French Champion in Slalom, Super-G and Combined, and holds the 10^th place in the World Cup Slalom men ranking. 

NASTASIA NOENS (FR) - FIS WORLD CUP ALPINE SKIER

Nastasia Noens, born September 12, 1988 in Nice, is a French alpine skier, specialized in the slalom discipline. Bronze medalist in slalom at the 2008 World Junior Championships, she took part in the Olympic Games in 2010. The only French rider to have achieved this performance since 2010, she has climbed twice on a World Cup slalom podium with a 3^rd place in 2011 in Flachau, Austria, and in 2014 in Bormio, Italy. The year 2018 welcomed Nastasia in the Olympic Games in PyeongChang, China, and in 2019, she ranked 9^th place in World Cup Slalom in Flachau and 10^th place in Grandvalira Soldeu, Andorra, before winning the French National Championships in Slalom in Auron.

In 2021, Nastasia took the 10^th place in World Cup Slalom in Lenzerheide, Switzeland, and finished the season holding the 23^rd place in the World Cup Slalom women ranking. Having won the French National Championships in Les Gets, Nastasia was crowned French Champion in Slalom for 2021. Nastasia evolves almost permanently in the Top 30 World Cup global ranking in Slalom discipline and aims for the Top 10.