Freeride World Tour

On January 7, 2013, the eagerly awaited FREERIDE WORLD TOUR 2013 will finally get underway! The first event of the now united and world's most important big mountain tour will take place in Revelstoke, British Columbia, Canada.

From 2013, there will be a new way into the Freeride World Tour for ambitious freeriders: the OPEN FACES Series. The newly launched contest series combines many already renowned Freeride World Tour qualifier events in Austria, e.g. X-Over Ride on the Kitzsteinhorn, into an attractive contest series for freeriders in Tyrol and Salzburg for the first time and crowns the overall winner as Austrian freeride champion.

Originally, I "only" wanted to conduct an interview with freerider Pia Widmesser (27) from Kiefersfelden. During the summer months, to get to know her better, to talk about her passion and her sport in peace and quiet. As it's better to meet up with a sportswoman outdoors rather than indoors, we agree to go hiking together. Why not climb the 2118-metre-high Wildseeloder summit? After all, Pia has already skied down the north face of this mountain several times in winter as part of the FWT (Freeride World Tour), in which she has taken part twice so far. Pia certainly thinks it's great and agreed: "I've never been there in summer!"

The FWQ season is already in its hot final phase and the 6th edition of the Nendaz Freeride was another highlight of the season on the program. In the FWQ ranking, two handfuls of candidates for next year's FreerideWorldTour are already emerging before the event, and the presence of some WorldTour riders adds the perfect spice to the already top-class starting field.

"ALL WINNERS IN VERBIER ARE WORLD CHAMPIONS" could already be read in the news on the Freeride Worldtour homepage on Sunday afternoon. On Saturday, March 24th, in front of 1000 spectators sizzling in the sun and another 25,000 cheering live via the internet, the top riders were allowed to draw their signatures into the steep north face of the Bec des Rosses. The 16th edition of the Verbier Xtreme and the Freeride World Tour have now come to an end.

From March 16 to 18, a very special freeride contest will take place in the Grisons Oberland for the fifth time – The Eco Freeride Contest "Kick the Vik"!

On February 18, the FWQ community in Switzerland came together for the first time in 2012 to hold the Morgins Free Sessions 2012 after the event in Engadin was canceled. In the hunt for important ranking points and the highly coveted prize money, mainly freeriders from France and Switzerland took to the start line. Many of them came from the surrounding area. Alexandra Panhofer and participant Julian Zenzmaier were on site for PowderGuide.

Sam Smoothy (NZL) wins a stop of the FWT for the first time and then immediately in the freeride mecca of Chamonix (FRA). With his fluid riding style, he clearly set himself apart from Reiner Barkered (SWE) and Oakley White-Allen. The latter now leads the overall standings. In the women's event (skiing), Jaclyn Paaso (USA) could not be beaten by Angel Collinson (USA) and Janina Kuzma (NZL). The snowboard competition was won by French local Douds Charlet (FRA), who finished on the podium ahead of Ralph Backstrom (USA) and his compatriot Aurelien Routens (FRA). The women's podium (snowboard) was also dominated by North Americans: Maria Debari (USA) won ahead of Margot Rozies (FRA) and Shannan Yates (USA).

Sam Smoothy (NZL) wins a stop of the FWT for the first time and then immediately in the freeride mecca of Chamonix (FRA). With his fluid riding style, he clearly set himself apart from Reiner Barkered (SWE) and Oakley White-Allen. The latter now leads the overall standings. In the women's event (skiing), Jaclyn Paaso (USA) could not be beaten by Angel Collinson (USA) and Janina Kuzma (NZL). The snowboard competition was won by French local Douds Charlet (FRA), who finished on the podium ahead of Ralph Backstrom (USA) and his compatriot Aurelien Routens (FRA). The women's podium (snowboard) was also dominated by North Americans: Maria Debari (USA) won ahead of Margot Rozies (FRA) and Shannan Yates (USA).

After two weather-related waiting days, the skiers' final was finally held in Revelstoke, Canada on Wednesday, January 11, 2012. The North Americans showed clear dominance on the "Mac Daddy"face and displayed breathtaking freeriding, just as you would expect from the best freeriders in the world.

The second day of the contest in Revelstoke, Canada, belonged entirely to the world's elite freeride snowboarders. 17 men and 6 women put their skills to the test on the "Mackenzie Face? on Saturday, January 7, 2012. However, the skiers' final scheduled for Sunday, 8.1.2012, had to be postponed due to the weather.

The 2012 Freeride World Tour season starts on January 6 in Revelstoke, Canada. The elite of the freeride world are getting ready to make their first turns in the fresh powder of British Columbia and begin the race for the crown of world champion. The reigning champions Aurélien Ducroz, Mitch Tölderer, Janette Hargin and Anne-Flore Marxer will certainly not have an easy time defending their titles.