Freeride World Qualifier

The FWT continues its global growth. Nowhere is this more evident than in the Freeride World Qualifier (FWQ) and the Junior Freeride Tour (JFT). Following last season's success, the two event series will include even more individual events in both Europe and America in winter 13/14. With almost 50 FWQ events around the world, riders will have more opportunities than ever before to earn one of the coveted starting spots for the 2015 FWT. Registration for the European events opens on December 2nd!

The last FWQ tour stop of the 2013 FWQ season in Switzerland stops for the 2nd time in the 4 Vallées - the ski resort that is also known as the Mecca of freeriders. And not by chance...! Niko was at the start of many FWQ tour stops across the Alps in the past season and tells us in detail about his impressions from Nendaz! Thanks for your motivation and commitment Niko! (T.H.)

On March 23, 2013, I took part in the X Over 1* Freeride World Qualifier Contest on the Kitzsteinhorn in Salzburgerland. This contest in late winter was also the last part of the Open Faces series.

Another edition of the 3* FWQ contest took place in the beautiful Val d'Anniviers. The only contest where, according to our rider reporter Nikolai Göz, there is a (15-person!) mega jacuzzi for the aperitif... Niko has been at the start of several FWQ tour stops across the Alps this season and once again gives us his impressions...

Good conditions at the second attempt: The contest originally scheduled for February had to be postponed due to poor visibility and could now be held on 16.03.2013. This time, the mountains in the Paznaun valley had good snow conditions and the sun was at its best. In the afternoon, the beaming winners of almost 60 participants were announced: Angelika Kaufmann (ski), Martin Rofner (ski), Sanne Koeman (snowboard), Christoph Fuschlberger (snowboard). Contest participant and PowderGuide reporter Katharina Schröer recorded her impressions on site:

The Austrian freeride contest scene has grown considerably this winter. No fewer than five new Freeride World Qualifiers in the OPEN FACES Freeride Series have invited youngsters and established riders to put their skills to the test in contests. After four successful events, the OPEN FACES Freeride Series is now heading towards the finale on the Kitzsteinhorn. Before that, however, the postponed 2-star competition in Kappl will be rescheduled.

Premiere of the Freeride World Qualifier series on the Goldeck sports mountain in the Gailtal Alps: The organizer "SGS - Sportgemeinschaft Spittal/Drau" has proven its organizational talent and successfully integrated the Big Mountain Goldeck into the ever-growing FWQ series. Despite the lack of rain in the run-up to the contest, the conditions on the face were good. The winners of the FWQ premiere knew how to take advantage of this: Wolfgang Kofler (snowboard), Dees Hetzenauer (snowboard), Rene Riegler (ski) and Jenni Kaipainen (ski). Contest participant Nikolai Göz was there for PowderGuide in Carinthia...

The countdown for the OPEN FACES 3* FWQ on the Stubai Glacier has begun. On February 23rd at the first 3-star qualifier on the Stubai Glacier, well-known names from the Austrian freeride scene have announced their participation: from Flo Orley and Max Zipser to Simon Wohlgenannt and Martin Rofner to Lorraine Huber and Angelika Kaufmann. After a break of several weeks, the Open Faces series is back and the higher-class 3* events are now all about overall victory.

From February 16 to 17, 2013, another edition of the now almost legendary T-Bar Free Sessions took place, once again in the charming Swiss resort of Morgins. This is a traditional resort in a high valley on the Swiss side of the (believe it or not) 12-valley(!) Portes du Soleil ski area - the "gateway to the sun" south of Lake Geneva with 650 kilometers of slopes, various parcours parks, halfpipes and countless deep snow areas... On top of that, there are mountain panoramas of a special kind on Dents du Midi, Dents Blanches and Mont Blanc. What more could you want?

Due to fresh snow and expected poor visibility as well as high avalanche danger, the OPEN FACES 2* Freeride World Qualifier in Kappl has been postponed to March 15-17, 2013.

The Open Faces make a stop in Salzburger Land: While it was still overcast the day before, the Aberg in Maria Alm showed its best side on Saturday, 26 January, and gave the 74 starters at the OPEN FACES *FWQ Hochkönig a warm welcome. Hosting a Freeride World Qualifier for the first time, the Hochkönig ski region more than did justice to a 1-star event. Creative lines and clean jumps were required to win points from the judges. Ferdinand Winter (ski/AUT), Johanna Obermoser (ski/AUT), Niklas Hollsten (snowboard/FIN) and Jenny Farrah (snowboard/USA) knew how to get the best out of the face and won in their respective categories.

A successful start for the Open Faces series in the Axamer Lizum! On 12.01.2013 the time had come: the first stop of the Open Faces Tour took place in the Axamer Lizum, near the Alpine metropolis of Innsbruck. 77 riders in the men's and women's ski and snowboard categories were at the start and went on the hunt for points at this 2* Freeride World Qualifier event!