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DISCOVER THE FREERIDE WORLD TOUR

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  2. Le Freeride World Tour, what is it?

Discover everything you need to know about the Freeride World Tour.

Safety

Don't forget the necessary safety equipment when venturing off-piste!

Competition

The Freeride World Tour is the gathering of the best freeriders on the planet.

Ambassador

Go follow the adventures of our ambassador Oscar Mandin, the only French athlete on the elite skiing circuit of the FWT.

Freeride 

World Tour 

What is it?

The Freeride World Tour (or FWT for insiders) is the global circuit for snowboarding and freeride skiing. The world’s top riders compete on the most legendary and challenging off-piste terrains worldwide.

But who participates, how are the athletes judged, and what are the legends of this competition? Let us introduce you in detail to the FWT so that it has no more secrets for you.

The FWT circuit

How do you become one of the elite freeriders?

The Freeride World Tour is divided into 4 categories:

  • FWT Junior: These are competitions dedicated to young athletes up to 18 years old, aimed at developing the talents of tomorrow and encouraging youth participation in the sport.
  • FWT Qualifier: This is the first step! It’s colloquially known as the qualification circuit to access the elite. This is where all riders started. Riders accumulate points through 60 events organized worldwide, including forty in Europe. The scoring system is based on the star rating of qualification events (from 1 to 4 stars) and event regions: Region 1 (Europe, Asia, and Oceania) and Region 2 (United States, Canada, Chile, and Argentina). The top riders from each region are invited to compete in the FWT Challenger.
  • FWT Challenger: It’s the ultimate step to qualify for the FWT Pro circuit. It’s more colloquially, the showdown stage between amateurs and pros. The top riders from the FWT Qualifier compete against the lower-ranked riders from the FWT tour in high-pressure events to secure a spot in the FWT Pro circuit for the following year.
  • FWT Pro: It’s a global circuit of snowboarding and freeride skiing. It’s the professional circuit. It features the best riders competing on the most legendary and challenging off-piste terrains worldwide!

The Avoriaz Freeride Week is back!

From March 23th to April 1st, Avoriaz welcomes the best freeriders for a week of competition.
On the schedule:

  • A stage of the Freeride World Tour Junior 3***, on March 23th and 24th.
  • A stage of the Freeride World Tour Qualifier 2**, on March 25th and 26th.
  • And most importantly, a stage of the Freeride World Tour Challenger, from March 29th to April 1st.

The scoring system

How are the riders’ runs scored?

To evaluate a run, the judges use a scoring system ranging from 0 to 100. The goal of this rider-approved system is to have a unified judging system for all FWT Pros, Challengers, Qualifiers, and Juniors competitions, allowing each riding style the opportunity to succeed. Five main criteria are considered to judge a rider’s run. These criteria help determine an overall score as well as the rider’s final score.

The 5 criteria:

  • Line: It’s the path or route a competitor chooses to take on the mountain face. What is the level of difficulty and danger on this line? How does the rider navigate through difficult sections? How creative is the choice of line? Does it differentiate itself from other riders? These are the factors that judges will consider and determine.
  • Control: A crucial element of evaluation. Does the athlete fall? Do they push the boundaries of recovery throughout the descent? Or do they ride with confidence, showing mastery from start to finish? This category is closely related to technique (see below). Good control during the descent is often synonymous with success. Conversely, loss of control typically results in a significant loss of points.
  • Technique: This criterion is primarily observed in junior and amateur competitions. For professionals, judges mainly assess whether there is a loss of control due to a technical error. As long as a rider is in control, they can have their own riding style. Technique is mainly evaluated on how certain sections are tackled, whether through gliding or carved turns. For example, riders may lose points if they skid on a section while their competitors execute carved turns.
  • Fluidity: The fluidity score aims to reward athletes who can ride from start to finish without hesitation, interruption, or confusion, while taking into account the rider’s speed relative to the technicality of the terrain. Fluidity is a central aspect of evaluation. It’s often what distinguishes an ordinary run from an excellent one!
  • Air and Style: Key points of scoring, this category focuses on jumps! An element that makes freeride competitions so exciting and beautiful. What is the size of the jump? Is there any hesitation? What happens in the air? Do they use arm movements for balance? Do they incorporate tricks? How is the landing? These are the factors judges must consider when awarding an overall score. A fall on a jump certainly knocks you off the podium, while a well-executed backflip earns you a lot of points!

And you ? 

What score would you have given to this run by our ambassador Oscar Mandin?

Safety

At Freeride World Tour competitions, safety is the absolute priority for athletes and staff.

Competitive freeriding entails numerous risks due to the demanding environment in which this sport takes place. That’s why all riders are fully equipped with the latest safety gear, both on and off-piste.
Mandatory equipment includes: a helmet, a back protector, avalanche airbag packs, an avalanche victim detector, a probe, a shovel, and a Recco device for locating them if needed, to protect them from potential hazards. In addition to wearing mandatory safety equipment, each rider must participate in mandatory safety workshops throughout the season and adhere to strict safety guidelines during competitions.

Oscar Mandin

Oscar MANDIN is a 25-year-old local freerider.

After spending a few years on the Qualifier circuit, his good results have earned him a spot on the elite Freeride World Tour circuit. As the only French skier on the circuit, he stands out with a unique style, both fluid in powder and aggressive on the bars! His excellent freestyle skills allow him to mix impressive tricks with a good line reading!

Check out his film « Home, » where he showcases the best spots in the Portes du Soleil!

Oscar Mandin Instagram

Now you know all there is to know about freeride competitions!

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