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ContestHappening 1 2023/24 | What the FWT?

The warm-up

by Timo Macvan • 01/25/2024
Dominique Daher
Bec de Rosses
FWT Rider
Dominique Daher
Bec de Rosses
FWT Rider
The competitive freeriding season is finally starting again. The best freeriders on one and two boards will once again plunge down slopes in the Alps, Pyrenees and Canadian Rockies and try to convince the judges of their skills with their line and freestyle elements. This year is also a very special one, as another event stop will be added to the Freeride World Tour - Georgia, which is increasingly becoming the focus of the freeride community, will become the "Home of Freeride" for the first time.

Off into the season

Verbier is normally known for the legendary Verbier Xtreme and the final round of the Freeride World Tour. This year everything is different. Due to the poor weather conditions in recent weeks and the rising temperatures this week, the snow conditions in the Spanish Pyrenees are too thin for a backcountry competition. Whether the second event in the Pyrenees will take place in Andorra is currently still open to the organisation, but no new precipitation is expected for the time being.

The cancellation came so early, last Saturday, that the organisers of the tour had enough time to find a replacement location, so that the event will take place on 27.01 and 28.01 in Valais. The capital of alpine freeriding Verbier currently offers an excellent snow situation and is therefore a stop on the Freeride World Tour event calendar twice this year.

Dominique Daher
Baqueira Beret
Camille Armand
Dominique Daher
Baqueira Beret
Camille Armand

Riders

A large part of the field has remained the same compared to last season, especially when it comes to the top riders from the previous season. In the snowboard and men's ski categories, two familiar faces are returning who are synonymous with spectacular action and titles. Kristofer Turdell is back in the skier category and two-time world champion Victor de le Rue is back on the snowboarder’s list. I can't wait to see how the two 34-year-olds will challenge the younger generation once again.

I'm also hoping for an unrivalled duel between the two former Olympic mogul skiers, Hedvig Wessel and Justine Dufour-Lapointe. Justine won a gold medal in Sotchi and a silver medal in Pyeongchang. Hedvig also competed in both years, but was unable to medal due to injuries. Both entered the Freeride World Tour after their careers on the moguls and were very successful. Hedvig came second three times, most recently in a dramatic finish in Verbier and here is a steep thesis for the coming season:

She is also back to beat Justine.

Dominique Daher
Ordino Aracalis
FWT
Dominique Daher
Ordino Aracalis
FWT

What the FWT?

As an appetiser for the new season, the Freeride World Tour is releasing a 37-minute short film, packed with the history of its creation and development, exciting anecdotes about almost 30 years of the FWT and featuring almost all of the tour's former and current stars. Anyone who really enjoys the Freeride World Tour should take a look.

Freeride Worldtour
Behind the Scenes
Medien Stuff
Freeride Worldtour
Behind the Scenes
Medien Stuff

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