Industry News
With the challenging off-piste conditions in the Pyrenees, the organizers of the Freeride World Tour (‘FWT’) have decided to organize an event this weekend in Verbier, Switzerland, to kick of the season.
Related: Freeride World Tour at Baqueira Bere, Spain, Canceled Due to Lack of Snow
After careful assessment of the situation, a decision was made by the FWT team to organize the first stop of the season in Verbier, Switzerland in order to kick of the season and take advantage of the good snow conditions in the Alps.
FWT organizers are confident in the weather models in the Alps, and current conditions provide an excellent chance of running an event on the weekend, with abundant recent snowfall – including a fresh storm early this week – and bluebird skies forecast for the end of the week.
Organizers have decided to hold the competition on the Petit Bec, that offers better snow conditions and less wind affected snow than the previously announced Bec des Rosses. Riders will be treated to sunny skies and good snow conditions, offering a slight advantage for the more experienced riders, who will be able to better read the conditions and the gnarly terrain found on the Petit Bec.
Regardless of the technical changes in the roster, the riders are ready to fire. Unfortunately, 2023 champion Katie Anderson has injured her ACL, taking her out of action for the entire season. This has opened up the snowboard women’s category, providing opportunities for the rest of the roster. The other reigning champions – Justine Dufour-Lapointe, Ludovic Guillot-Diat and Valentin Rainer – will certainly be out to defend their titles, but can one of the rookies step up and prove their skills on the big stage? Or maybe one of the locals will harness the crowd’s energy and become a home-town hero. One thing’s for sure… it’s going to be electrifying.
The home of freeride is ready to host the world’s best athletes, signaling the start of what promises to be an epic season. Live coverage starts at 10:15 CET, first rider dropping at 10:30CET with the dropping order as follows:
- Snowboard men
- Snowboard women
- Ski women
- Ski men
The talent this year looks incredible, but who’s got that extra touch of flair to take home the win? Find out in two days, as FWT24 is ready to launch!
Be sure to watch the event in person if you’re in the area, otherwise remember that the competition will be broadcast LIVE at www.freerideworldtour.com, with incredible user-friendly replay options to make sure you don’t miss a trick. In the meantime, stay tuned to the FWT social media channels and subscribe to the FWT newsletter to keep pace with the latest news as it drops, including competition and rider updates.
