More than two years after proposing "Shapes", a video project in which he raced down a course he had designed himself, Pierre Vaultier has taken the idyllic snow 'pumptrack' even further in a new opus, "Reshapes" ( Redbull.com).

The 'pumptrack' is a course of bumps and turns during which the snowboarder must 'pump' (movements of the legs to keep up speed) to perform acrobatic flights.

Double Olympic snowboardcross champion, Vaultier first imagined a pump track close to perfection before hitting even harder with an extremely challenging course.

"For 'Shapes', we removed everything that was useless, that is to say that as soon as the board is in the air we remove what is underneath, it's a clean line. It exceeded all my expectations. With 'Reshapes', we went up a range, with bigger gaps and higher speed. The set-up (configuration) is atypical with a start in the rocks. These are not things I'm used to doing," Vaultier told AFP during the filming of the video.

The double Olympic snowboardcross champion, Pierre Vaultier, prepares before hurtling down a course clinging to the cliffs, on February 3, 2022 on the heights of Serre-Chevalier, for the filming of his new video "Reshapes" LOIC VENANCE AFP / Archives

It was in October 2021 that Vaultier and several shapers (those who shape the modules) began work on the course, i.e. 300 meters of slope, 14 modules and 1500 m3 of snow.

"We put three modules in the cliff. There is pain in the presence of these piles of snow, like the Egyptians 4000 years ago with the Pyramids!", Launches Vaultier, amused.

The double Olympic snowboardcross champion, Pierre Vaultier, hurtles down the course he created, during the filming of his new video "Reshapes", on February 3, 2022 on the heights of Serre-Chevalier LOIC VENANCE AFP / Archives

45 seconds at 65 km/h

He had to wait until February for all the planets to be aligned and finally start filming the video.

The day before the first day of filming, the whole team gathered for a final briefing.

"There was a strong wind yesterday morning but it didn't peel too much, it was concrete, there's a bit of work to do on the walls but we haven't lost any volume," says the shaper nicknamed Blue Max. .

The next day, the wind is not blowing and the sun is rather at the rendezvous.

It's eight degrees, Vaultier's dream line is sparkling white.

Everything is ready for the big show, even the public, perched on crowded chairlifts in an incessant broom and which encourages the snowboarder before spinning on the slopes of the resort of Serre-Chevalier (Hautes-Alpes).

The double Olympic snowboardcross champion, Pierre Vaultier, hurtles down the course he created, filmed by a cameraman during the filming of his new video "Reshapes", on February 3, 2022 on the heights of Serre-Chevalier LOIC VENANCE AFP / Archives

Very tense, Vaultier, who measures the risk incurred due in particular to the prosthesis which was placed on his left knee a little over a year ago, has a few runs (courses) but not complete.

"It's going to be hot," he slips, dressed in a red jacket and black pants.

After thwarting the cloudy veils that cast shadows on the track, Vaultier is gaining power and confidence.

"It's going to be hard but it's going to fit," he says.

It's time for a full run.

Dropped off by jetski near the departure area, Vaultier climbs onto the launch module using a ladder.

And unfolds at some 65 km / h the 300 meters of the course with an almost lightness in 45 intense seconds.

The double Olympic snowboardcross champion, Pierre Vaultier, hurtles down the course he created, during the filming of his new video "Reshapes", on February 3, 2022 on the heights of Serre-Chevalier LOIC VENANCE AFP / Archives

It's euphoria in the team, but also on the chairlifts.

"The pictures are crazy!".

"I had fear deep in my guts as I have rarely felt," says the champion.

The double Olympic snowboardcross champion, Pierre Vaultier, hurtles down the course he created during the filming of his new video "Reshapes", on February 3, 2022 on the heights of Serre-Chevalier LOIC VENANCE AFP / Archives

In total, Vaultier will have signed twenty complete runs over three days to edit the video.

© 2022 AFP