The world's best freeriders come together in the new unified tour: the new unified Freeride World Tour starts the 2013 season with new faces and the best and best-known freeskiers and snowboarders from last winter. The field is made up of the top ranked riders, including almost all of last year's winners from the Swatch Freeride World Tour 2012, Freeskiing World Tour 2012 and The North Face Masters of Snowboarding 2012. In addition, a number of strong talents from the Freeride World Qualifiers as well as highly touted wildcard holders will mix it up.
The 2013 Freeride World Tour kicks off on January 7, 2013 in Revelstoke (CAN) and will then continue with the first European stops in Courmayeur-Mont-Blanc (ITA) and Chamonix-Mont-Blanc (FRA). After the following events in Kirkwood (USA) and Fieberbrunn Pillerseetal (AUT), the qualified riders will crown the world champions at the grand finale in Verbier (SUI).
The unification of the two previous competition tours will result in many exciting constellations and competitions thanks to the new riders and the combined calendar.
This is how the 2013 FWT rider field is made up
Among the men's skiers, the top 12 from the Freeride World Tour 2012 and the top 12 from the Freeskiing World Tour 2012 have qualified. Among the women's skiers, the top 5 of the Freeride World Tour 2012 and the top 3 of the Freeskiing World Tour 2012 are allowed to compete. The starting field includes top riders such as the 2012 Freeride World Tour Champion Reine Barkered (SWE), the 2012 Freeskiing World Tour Champion Josh Daiek (USA), the two-time Freeride World Tour Champion Aurélien Ducroz (FRA) and the 2011 Freeskiing World Tour Champion Drew Tabke (USA).
In the women's event, defending Freeride World Tour champion Christine Hargin (SWE), two-time overall Freeskiing World Tour winner Angel Collinson (USA) and 2012 Freeride World Tour runner-up Eva Walkner (AUT) will be competing. In addition, the organizers have issued some wildcards, including Markus Eder (ITA), who recently shone at the Skiers Cup in Valle Nevado in Chile, Tom Leitner (GER), who recently attracted attention with strong performances, and Sebastian Hannemann (GER) and Matthias Haunholder (AUT), who are returning from injuries.
In the field of male snowboarders, the top 6 of the Freeride World Tour 2012 and the top 4 of the Masters of Snowboarding 2012 are automatically qualified; for the female snowboarders, the respective top 3 of the Freeride World Tour 2012 and the Masters of Snowboarding 2012. The confirmed riders include the reigning Freeride World Tour Champion Jonathan Charlet (FRA), the overall winner of the Masters of Snowboarding 2012, Sammy Luebke (USA), the three-time Freeride World Tour Champion Xavier de Le Rue (FRA) from the Swatch Proteam as well as Ralph Backstrom (USA), Flo Orley (AUT), Max Zipser (AUT) and the winner of the women's Masters of Snowboarding 2012, Shannan Yates (USA).
In addition, new, success-hungry freeriders will be joining the tour via the Freeride World Qualifiers 2012: talents who will be able to prove themselves on the Freeride World Tour for the first time, such as skiers Wille Lindberg (SWE), Léo Slemett (FRA) and Nadine Wallner (AUT) as well as snowboarders Ludovic Guillot-Diat (FRA), Joel Rouge (SUI) and Margot Mouthon (FRA).
The starting lists for the 2013 Freeride World Tour can be downloaded here men and women
Official video teaser
The 2013 Freeride World Tour competition calendar
1st Freeride World Tour Stop - Revelstoke 2013
Date: January 7; Venue: Revelstoke (CAN)
Disciplines: Ski & Snowboard, Women & Men
2. Freeride World Tour Stop - Courmayeur-Mont-Blanc 2013
Date: January 19; Location: Courmayeur-Mont-Blanc (ITA)
Disciplines: Ski & Snowboard, Men
3. Freeride World Tour Stop - Chamonix-Mont-Blanc 2013
Date: January 26; Location: Chamonix-Mont-Blanc (FRA)
Disciplines: Ski & Snowboard, Women & Men
4th Freeride World Tour Stop - Kirkwood 2013
Date: 27. February; Location: Kirkwood (USA)
Disciplines: Ski & Snowboard, Women & Men
5th Freeride World Tour Stop - Fieberbrunn Pillerseetal 2013
Date: March 9; Location: Fieberbrunn PillerseeTal (AUT)
Disciplines: ski & snowboard, women & men
6th Verbier Xtreme 2013
Date: March 23; Location: Verbier (SUI)
Disciplines: ski & snowboard, women & men