Freeride World Tour at Baqueira Beret, Spain, Canceled Due to Lack of Snow

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The FWT at Baqueira Beret is canceled. | Image: FWT Tour Website

The Freeride World Tour (‘FWT’) announced on Saturday, January 20, that that the first event of the season – the Baqueira Beret Pro in the Spanish Pyrenees – has been canceled due to snow conditions. Despite recent snowfalls and good conditions on-piste, there is insufficient snowpack off-piste to safely conduct a freeride competition. Conditions in the backcountry will likely deteriorate further, given the warm weather forecast in the coming week, with no precipitation expected.

“We are sad to have to cancel the FWT Baqueira Beret Pro, especially as events here over the last two years have delivered such great starts to the FWT season. As always, weather and snow conditions dictate our decisions, which is a part of the outdoor sports world. Although this is disappointing, we can’t wait to return here next year in January!”
— Nicolas Hale-Woods, FWT Founder

Organizers have chosen to cancel the event to ensure the safety of all riders, which always remains at the forefront of every decision made at the FWT. The Baqueira Beret Pro will not be replaced with another event, meaning that if all upcoming stops take place, the best two results out of three will count towards points to make The Cut, which guarantees qualification to the FWT Finals. The FWT Ordino Arcalís Pro is still projected to proceed, and the FWT safety team will continue to assess conditions, with ample time – 19 days – before the competition weather window ends.

“Even with the recent snowfall, there are currently inadequate conditions to run a premier freeride competition. However, the FWT Junior and Qualifier events will still be held from the 20th to the 23rd of January, and all lifts at the resort are in operation, opening up more than 120 km of slopes. Therefore, there is still high-quality skiing on offer but, unfortunately, not enough for a FWT Pro event.”
— Xavi Ubeira, Baqueira Beret Commercial Manager

The Spanish Pyrenees where the Baqueira Beret Pro is held. | Image: Christian Casal via FWT

FREERIDE WORD TOUR WILL RETURN TO BAQUEIRA BERET

Baqueira Beret is a resort that despite the difficult conditions, goes out of its way to organize grassroots competitions, and this is a great value for the Freeride World Tour organization. Despite the present situation FWT and Baqueira Beret are aiming to continue organizing the Baqueira Beret Pro competition for the next years to come. The Spanish Pyrenees has quickly become one of the most anticipated events on the calendar, with varied freeride terrain and a lively atmosphere generated by the thousands of spectators that flock to the event each year.

With five more exciting events on the FWT calendar, there is still plenty of explosive freeride action on the way, and the FWT can’t wait to kick off 2024 in style. Be sure to stay tuned to the FWT social media channels and visit www.freerideworldtour.com to keep pace with all the latest news as it drops.

Baqueira Beret in the Spanish Pyrenees. | Image: Christian Casal via FWT
Posted by SnowBrains |

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