Rock A Rail Goes Budapest
Rock A Rail celebrated a spectacular premiere in Budapest as the Rock A Rail Tour presented by Snowfest kicked off its 2026 season right in the snow-covered city center. From January 9 to 11, the tour made its first-ever stop in the Hungarian capital, officially opening the fourth year of the Rock A Rail Tour.
Exceptionally wintry conditions, rarely seen in Budapest, provided the perfect backdrop for this historic debut, as well as for the Generali Freeze Festival, held in the heart of the city at Városliget City Park.
Rock A Rail has long stood for world-class urban street-style riding. Creative and highly technical setups challenge the riders year after year. The opening stop of the 2026 season was exclusively dedicated to snowboarders.
In the women’s competition, Anne-Sophie Lechon (BEL) once again demonstrated her strength on rails, finishing in third place. French rider Zoé Roffi caused a surprise by taking second place. The rider of the night, however, was 18-year-old Mia Langridge (GBR), the 2025 Rock A Rail Tour Champion. After four second place finishes during the 2025 season, she finally stepped onto the top of the Rock A Rail podium for the first time, underlining her remarkable consistency. She impressed with a textbook-perfect boardslide 270: “After all those second places, finally getting the win feels like a dream.” In the men’s competition, Den Haag winner and local hero Botond Fricz (HUN) used his home advantage to finish third in front of family and friends: “I’m incredibly happy that Rock A Rail has finally arrived in Budapest.” The battle for victory was ultimately decided between the Dutch riders. Thom Wijnstra finished second, while Thom Vogel claimed the win. Vogel impressed the judges with, among other tricks, a spectacular Switch 50 to Hardway Back 270 Transfer from the flat bar rail onto the double kink rail.
Beyond the snowboard action, the Generali Freeze Festival offered a wide range of winter sports activities. From ice skating to curling on one of the largest ice rinks in the world, visitors of all generations enjoyed the snow-covered city park and the rare sight of Budapest in white. The sporting program was complemented by numerous music acts that kept the crowd energized despite freezing temperatures. In true Snowfest tradition, Sunday put the spotlight on the next generation, with the Open Kids Jam hosted by Snowboard Hungary.
Results Rock A Rail Budapest 2026:
Women
1. Mia Langridge, GBR
2. Zoè Roffi, FRA
3. Anne-Sophie Lechon, BEL
Men
1. Thom Vogel, NED
2. Thom Wijnstra, NED
3. Botond Fricz, HUN
More information: www.snowfest.eu, www.rockarail.tv, www.freeze.hu
