Industry News
The Freeride World Tour ‘FWT’ is coming into its 16th season in winter 22/23. The tour will have five stops: Canada, Spain, Andorra, Austria, and Switzerland. Here are the dates if you are keen to watch some of your favorite freeride athletes, like US snowboarders Blake Moller or Erika Vikander.
January 13-18, 2023
Kicking Horse, BC, Canada
The tour kicks off at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort in Golden, British Columbia, where it’s known for its champagne powder and long steep runs. Last year’s winners in the women’s disciplines were Lily Bradley on skis and Erika Vikander on snowboard from the U.S. In the men’s ski event, Switzerland’s Maxime Chabloz won the trophy, and France’s Camille Armand won men’s snowboard.
January 28-February 02, 2023
Baqueira Beret, Spain
Moving across the Atlantic to the Spanish Pyrenees, the tour continues in Baqueira Beret. The Spanish resort hosted the FWT for the first time last year and it will be exciting to see if snowboarders Erika Vikander and Michael Mawn can repeat the double U.S. victory from last year. In the skiing event, defending champions are Olivia McNeill from Canada for the women and Sweden’s Max Palm for the men.
February 04-09, 2023
Ordino Arcalis, Andorra
Just a little further up the road in the Pyrenees, the tour continues in one of the smallest states, the principality of Andorra. The resort of Ordino Arcalis is a permanent fixture on the FWT thanks to the amazing terrain. Last year’s victors were Jessica Hotter from New Zealand and Maxime Chabloz from Switzerland in the ski event and Tiphanie Perrotin and Blake Moller in the snowboard event.
March 11-17, 2023
Fieberbrunn, Austria
Austria will be host to the first finals event, where athletes will pick their line down the incredible Wildseeloder side. The event will be, like last year, a best-of-two-runs format. Jessica Hotter also won this event last year in the women’s skiing and Austria’s Max Hitzig made use of his home advantage, taking the title in the men’s ski event. Repeat performance also for France’s Tiphanie Perrotin and U.S.’ Blake Moller in the snowboard event.
March, 25-April 02, 2023
Verbier, Switzerland
The Grand Finale of the FWT will be held in the home of freeride, the Bec des Rosses at Verbier, Switzerland. Last year’s skiing event was dominated by local Swiss skiers Sybille Blanjean in the women’s and Maxime Chabloz in the men’s. For snowboarding, Austria’s Manuela Mandl and France’s Victor De Le Rue took home the title.
