A Historic Winter Is Coming Up
The SWATCH FREERIDE WORLD TOUR BY THE NORTH FACE® (FWT) is all set for a historic 2015 season. With its two new venues officially confirmed and announced, the tour is now a full 5 stop tour for both women and men.
Photo: Dom Daher
Our SCOTT Wintersport Team, Freeride World Champion in Men’s Ski Loïc Collomb Patton, Jeremie Heitz, Richard Amacker, Jackie Paaso, Fabian Lentsch, Stefan Häusl, Lorraine Huber, Janina Kuzma, Kevin Guri, and Juan Bergada, are all ready to get this season and the FWT started.
The season will kick-off on the 24th of January, 2015, at the mecca of freeriding, Chamonix-Mont-Blanc in France. The FWT will head to Fieberbrunn Kitzbüheler Alpen in Austria on the 31st of January, then one week later, on the 14th of February, the athletes will take on the first new stop Vallnord Arcalis in Andorra.
“The local organizer at the Pyrenean resort Vallnord Arcalis of Andorra has organized a very successful freeride event since 1998, the El Dorado Freeride, one of the most popular 4-star Freeride World Qualifier events. The terrain is spectacular and there are some great faces for an all-star FWT competition” says Nicolas Hale-Woods, Freeride World Tour General Manager and Founder.
Photo: freerideworldtour, D. Carlier
After the event at Vallnord Arcalis, the FWT will make its historical first visit to the big mountain freeride epicenter, Haines, Alaska on the 14th of March. The selected group of athletes that get to go to Alaska are the top 60% of the total field for both men and women.
“Alaska has long been recognized as one of the best locations in the world for skiing and snowboarding, and Haines is known as one of the premier locations in Alaska. We are very excited to be able to name this location our 4th stop this year. It is fantastic working with the community there and we expect this event to be one of the highlights of the season” says General Manager of the FWT, Nicolas Hale-Woods.
Photo: freerideworldtour.com, J.Bernard
The ones that succeed to place themselves within the top 60% in Alaska will qualify straight into the prestigious FWT final and special 20th edition anniversary of the Xtreme Verbier on the 28th of March. The total prize money for the season is a record high, topping just over 400,000 USD.
Photo: freerideworldtour.com, P.Field
We wish SCOTT’s Team Riders a big GOOD LUCK for the season. We are cheering for you guys!
Follow the tour and our athletes on social media.
FREERIDE WORLD TOUR SCHEDULE
1. CHAMONIX-MONT-BLANC
Date: Jan. 24, 2015; Location: Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, FRA
Disciplines: Men’s and Women’s Ski and Snowboard
2. FIEBERBRUNN KITZBÜHELER ALPEN
Date: Jan. 31, 2015; Location: Fieberbrunn Kitzbüheler Alpen, AUT
Disciplines: Men’s and Women’s Ski and Snowboard
3. VALLNORD ARCALIS / ANDORRA
Date: Feb 14, 2015; Location: Vallnord Arcalis, AND
Disciplines: Men’s and Women’s Ski and Snowboard
4. ALASKA
Date: March 14, 2015; Location: tbc
Disciplines: Men’s and Women’s Ski and Snowboard
5. XTREME VERBIER
Date: March 28, 2015; Location: Verbier, SUI
Disciplines: Men’s and Women’s Ski and Snowboard
Interested to learn more about the FWT: www.freerideworldtour.com