It’s the site of one of the toughest Downhill racecourses on the FIS World Cup circuit, but you’ve never seen Val d’Isère’s legendary Face de Bellevarde like this before!
Skydiver Fred Fugen, a leading member of the Red Bull-sponsored Soul Flyers team, took to the skies in his wingsuit this January as a tribute to his friend and teammate Vince Reffet.
The two had always planned to wing the 2,830 m Face de Bellevarde together this winter, providing a spectacular show for the skiers below as they tackle this demanding slope.
The pair carried out a detailed recce in Val d’Isère last July and were ready to go this winter. However, Vince was sadly killed in a training accident in Dubai in November.
So this January, when the perfect bluebird day came, Fred took the decision to go it alone as a tribute to his partner. The result is a stunning watch.
The lifts of Val d’Isére are currently closed due to the Covid-19 crisis, so the run was consequently devoid of skiers, but Fred’s flight still brings a spectacular show to all of us that wish we were there. Born out of tragedy, it is a flight of hope for wintersports in Val d’Isère and across the world.
The video was shot by Vincent Cotte in a wingsuit and Dino Raffault (Supersize Films) on skis.
It seems that the wingsuit has become a popular method of mountain travel in recent weeks! Ahead of the 81st Hannenkahm races in Austria this January, the Red Bull Skydive team took a high-speed, low-level fly through of the Strief, giving a whole new perspective on this infamous ski run.
Watch the full video here: https://www.redbull.com/int-en/streif-kitzbuhel-red-bull-skydive-course-preview
