Industry News
Mia Jones kicked off her Freeride World Tour (FWT) career in spectacular fashion Thursday, winning the Snowboard Women category at the season-opening event in Baqueira Beret. It was Jones’s first-ever Tour start, and the 20-year-old claimed the top spot on the prestigious Tuc de Bacivèr face in the Spanish Pyrenees—delivering a confident run that earned the highest score in her category before a crowd of roughly 3,000.
Jones, who is the daughter of freeride icon Jeremy Jones, stood out for her aggressive line, control through technical terrain, and a clean cliff drop that helped secure victory. Her performance marked the second straight season in which a rookie has won the opening Snowboard Women event, announcing her as a contender early in the 2026 season.
The 2026 Tour got underway under clear skies and solid conditions after recent snowfall stabilized the snowpack. Athletes competed on Tuc de Bacivèr, a west-facing face with roughly 424 meters (1,391 feet) of vertical and varied line options that challenge even the most seasoned freeriders.
Snowboard Women
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1st – Mia Jones (USA)
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2nd – Anna Martinez (FRA)
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3rd – Michaela Davis-Meehan (AUS)
Jones’s winning run earned the highest score of the category. Martinez delivered a composed and creative descent to take second, while Davis-Meehan used clean airs and controlled execution to round out the podium.
Snowboard Men
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1st – Liam Rivera (SUI)
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2nd – Sacha Balicco (FRA)
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3rd – Holden Samuels (USA)
Swiss rider Rivera set a high bar in the men’s snowboard division with a powerful, precise line highlighted by a laid-out backflip and strong technical skiing. French debutant Balicco impressed with stylish 360 spins, and Samuels scored high with big airs and fluid speed.
Ski Women
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1st – Justine Dufour-Lapointe (CAN)
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2nd – Zoé Delzoppo (FRA)
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3rd – Lou Barin (FRA)
Defending her Baqueira title, Dufour-Lapointe combined smooth airs and strong control to take the win in the women’s ski field. French rookies Delzoppo and Barin each delivered confident, clean runs to complete the podium and signal strong early season form.
Ski Men
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1st – Ben Richards (NZL)
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2nd – Toby Rafford (USA)
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3rd – Wei-Tien Ho (TPE)
The men’s ski category saw one of the tightest podiums of the day. Richards edged out his rivals with a technically sound line featuring a backflip and 360, narrowly besting Rafford and Ho, who both posted high scores with bold line choices and stylish maneuvers.
With several categories decided by narrow margins, Baqueira Beret provided an emphatic start to the 2026 FWT season. Jones’s breakout win on her debut positions her as a rising star on the Tour, while established competitors like Rivera, Dufour-Lapointe, and Richards reaffirmed their status at the top of the freeride world.
The Tour now turns its attention to its next stop in Val Thorens, where riders will look to build on early season momentum as the 2026 championship chase continues. For the latest standings, results, and coverage, follow the Freeride World Tour live at freerideworldtour.com or via the series’ social channels.
