So you might be thinking to yourself what is freeriding? It’s basically skiing or snowboarding on natural, un-groomed runs which have no set course or specific set of rules. Many riders it is called off-piste or backcountry depending where about’s in the world you’re from!
The thought of riding this challenging terrain is what appeals to so many people, combining numerous skill areas such as freestyle and piste riding into one all mountain style giving you the freedom to take on any terrain you encounter. With any snow sports there are associated risks but these are amplified significantly when freeriding but on the other hand you get to experience untouched areas of the mountain challenging your skills with such varied terrain.
Back in the 1940’s freeriding was in its infancy and wasn’t until the 1970’s where gear had improved to such a level that freeriding attracted audiences on a global level. Closely following the French were the Americans where a group of young enthusiastic riders took on the steep terrain of the Rockies and Sierra Nevada mountain ranges.
This influx of new riders really set the scene for the first ever freeride contest, the ‘World Extreme Ski Championships’ WESC held in the beautiful Wasatch Mountains, Alaska! Not forgetting the snowboarders the ‘World Extreme Snowboard Championships’ was established in 1992 which soon transformed into the widely recognised King Of The Hill competition still running today.
For many years these two disciplines remained completely separate before a crazy business man by the name Nicholas Hale Woods launched the Verbier Extreme in 1996 with 2004 marking the year when ten of the world’s top freeride skiers were invited to take part, revolutionising the sport as we know it!
Today this pioneering man Nicholas Hale Woods plays a crucial part in the organising and running of one of the world’s most extreme snow sport competitions the Freeride World Tour! Featuring five stops in five countries riders battle against each other in search of worldwide recognition. Below we delve a little deeper into the five 2016 resorts!
22nd January 2016 (Vallnord Arcalis, Andorra)
Located in the northern valleys of Andorra the Arcalis is a smaller slice of the much larger Vallnord skiing area. This resort features stunning views and multiple tree lined runs and is categorised into the most alpine resort in the Vallnord skiing area due to being north facing and its numerous steep slopes.
Handpicked from other resorts the Arcalis is home to some of the best off Piste skiing in Andorra holding on to its powder much longer due to receiving less sun. Here are some key facts about the resort:
30km Pistes with 27 runs
442 Hectares of skiable area
One terrain park
Longest run 8km
33% Beginner + 22% Intermediate + 37% Advanced + 7% Expert
Summit 2625m / 1940m Base
6th February 2016 (Chamonix Mont Blanc, France)
Located on the border of France, Switzerland and Italy this well known resort is at the base of the highest summit in the Alps, Mont Blanc featuring some amazing alpine skiing. Many people believe that Chamonix was the birthplace of alpine skiing with its claim to fame being the resort to host the first winter Olympics back in 1924.
It’s perfect mix of runs appeals to a wide range of riders and also features the world renowned 20km (12mile) Valley Blanche which is an extremely high off Piste run that circles the entire resort, a challenge for any aspiring expert skier. Here are some key facts about the resort:
119km Pistes with 106 runs
308 Hectares of skiable area
One Terrain Park
Longest run 20km
14% Beginner + 34% Intermediate + 38% Advanced + 14% Expert
Summit 3275m / 1042m Base
6th March 2016 (Fieberbrunn Kitzbuheleralpen, Austria)
Part of the much larger Triol skiing area the Fieberbrunn is a large resort in its own right with many of its runs tailored towards the intermediate rider yet still features runs for the more advanced rider.
Alot of the terrain here is extremely enjoyable with perfectly groomed runs with the option to head into the wide open powder fields to test your skills. Fieberbrunn is seen as a hidden gem within the Alps and one to visit during your riding career, below are a few key facts about the resort:
35km Pistes with 26 runs
34 Hectares of skiable area
One Half pipe
35km Cross Country
13km Blue + 22km Red + 3km Black
Summit 2020m / 830m Base
17th March 2016 (Haines, Alaska)
Haines, Alaska features some of the world’s best heli skiing terrain with over 5000ft of vertical drop and scenic powder runs that will keep you wanting more testing your skills to the very edge.
The mountain ranges surrounding Haines have a dry snowpack with some of the most stable weather systems found anywhere in Alaska. The sleepy community and picturesque landscapes makes this a centre for wilderness adventures in Alaska.
World’s largest non polar ice cap
5000ft of vertical drop
Situated at one of Alaska’s great fjords
2nd April 2016 (Verbier, Switzerland)
Verbier is in the centre of one of one of the largest ski areas in Europe, the four valleys! The exciting terrain combined with scenic views and abundance of snow makes this resort a sure fire bet for late or early season riding.
Two recently open lifts has made accessing the four valleys area even easier and with the right conditions is host to a trail of 15km descending over 2500m making it one of the biggest and best vertical runs in the world. Below are a few key facts about the resort:
177km Pistes with 37 runs
162 Hectares of skiable area
36% Intermediate + 37% Advanced + 27% Expert
Summit 3330m / 1500m Base
Event Feeding Into Products
This world renowned event has become so successful numerous snow sport companies are incorporating the name into some of their products for example Teko Freeride World Tour sock and Dakine Freeride World Tour Backpack both available at the Tallington Lakes Pro Shop both in store and online.
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