Freeride World Tour

The friendly freeride contest Kick the Vik is taking a step back to its roots this winter season and is bidding farewell as a qualifier for the Freeride World Tour. From March 22 to 24, 2013, the SAC Maighelshütte on the Oberalp Pass will once again be taken over by a manageable number of deep snow enthusiasts on one board, two thick slats or heel-free. The most impressive line choice and riding style will also win on the contest day. Freeride World Tour criteria ?! No thanks! Our roving reporter Hanna will be at the start again this year at Powderguide to report for you.

After the 5th stop of the Freeride World Tour in Fieberbrunn on March 9th was postponed by a week due to poor snow and weather conditions, all riders were condemned to hold out. The best freeriders in the world were forced to bridge a few days. German World Tour rider and Fieberbrunn "local" Tom Leitner shortened the waiting time for his fellow riders from the States by organizing a short trip to his home in Berchtesgarden. The freeride spots in the area, such as Obertauern, were also checked out with local Ferdl Winter.

She has been skiing for as long as she can remember. She skied her first races at the age of six. She later turned her back on alpine ski racing. But she remained true to her passion for skiing. As one of the best freeriders in the world, Sonja Lercher competes in the Freeride World Tour (FWT). The 33-year-old appears for an interview at the International Sports Fair in Munich on crutches after a fall. At the tour stop in Chamonix, the Munich native broke her tibia during a competition. A conversation about forced breaks, backflips, avalanches, tattoos and why trees bring independence into her life.

Christine Hargin and Drew Tabke underline their role as favorites among the skiers on this year's Freeride World Tour. Jonathan Charlet wins on his home mountain, as does Laura Dewey among the snowboarders.

The second edition of the Freeride Week in the heart of the Val de Bagnes in Lower Valais offered amateur freeriders from all over the world the opportunity to take part in three 2-star Freeride World Qualifier contests and thus move up the rankings of the FWQ series. The Verbier Freeride Week took place from January 13 to 20.

At the moment, the Freeride World Tour is going full steam ahead: the third tour stop in Chamonix is expected to take place on Saturday (26.1.2013). The second stop of the Freeride World Tour 2013 in Courmayeur on the Italian side of Mont Blanc was also a complete success. Now it's off to the shady side of the highest mountain in the Alps - to Chamonix. However, the competition will most likely be held again in the Brevent/Flegere ski resort at the Pentes de l'Hotel.

South Tyrolean Markus Eder and La Grave local Aurelién Routens win the second stop of the Freeride World in Courmayeur. The other skiers on the podium were Revelstoke winner Jérémie Heitz (Switzerland) and Swede Reine Barkered. Among the snowboarders, John Rodosky (USA) and Emilien Badoux (Switzerland) won the places.

On January 19, 79 rookies (17 women and 62 men) proved themselves in a 2* Freeride World Qualifier where the pros of the World Tour will be battling for victory in just over a month's time. On the Wildseeloder in Fieberbrunn, it was "drop in" shortly after 10:00 am into the Herrgottsrinne at the women's start of the Freeride World Tour. As at the start in the Axamer Lizum, Martin Rofner from the Arlberg stood at the top of the podium at the end of the day. Benedikt Minutillo, Lea Hartl and Stephanie Hamann also won in their respective categories.

The FWQ series also started this season in La Clusaz (France). The 2* events, which took place during the week, gave riders with few or even no ranking points the chance to qualify for the main event at the weekend. The 4* contest attracted many European freeriders, who competed for the good prize money and the many FWT points. Fabian Lentsch and Jochen Mesle were on site for PowderGuide and report on their impressions.

The FREERIDE WORLD TOUR kicked off with wins for the favorites in all four disciplines. In first-class conditions in Revelstoke (B.C.), Canada, Drew Tabke (USA) and Christine Hargin (SWE) won the skiers' event, while Ralph Backstrom (USA) and Shannan Yates (USA) won the snowboarders' event.

Hagrin, Yates, Tabke and Backstrom win the first tour stop of the 2013 Freeride World Tour in Revelstoke!

After the weather in Revelstoke made it impossible to hold the first Freeride World Tour stop in 2013 at the planned time, the "Radikal Mountain" Freeride World Tour Qualifier in the French ski resort of La Clusaz will possibly be the first event in 2013 to compete for FWT points at the highest level!