Jul 23 | ANNOUNCING THE SWATCH FREERIDE WORLD TOUR PRESENTED BY THE NORTH FACE
By The North Face
Event organizers of SWATCH FREERIDE WORLD TOUR, Freeskiing World Tour and The North Face Masters of Snowboarding announced this week a merger that will combine all three tours under one unified global 5-star championship series. The new six-stop world tour – named the SWATCH FREERIDE WORLD TOUR BY THE NORTH FACE – will include freeride skiing and snowboarding at each stop.
Confirmed tour locations include Revelstoke, Canada, Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France, Kirkwood, USA, Fieberbrunn PillerseeTal, Austria, and one more stop still to be confirmed, before the World Tour finals in Verbier, Switzerland.
“The union of the three tours is a major step in the sport’s growth,” said Nicolas Hale-Woods, Freeride World Tour Managing Director Europe. “Not only at World Tour (FWT) level, but also at qualifying level, with events happening in New-Zealand, North & South America, and Europe, all counting for one unique Freeride World Qualifiers (FWQ) ranking, enabling riders from all active areas to qualify for the next season’s SWATCH FREERIDE WORLD TOUR BY THE NORTH FACE.”
For 2013, start lists will feature qualified athletes from all three of the 2012 Tours, as well as from qualifier events (4-star events), along with a limited number of wild card entries from both continents.
“The merger of the two ski tours is a great step for our sport,” said 2012 SWATCH FREERIDE WORLD TOUR Champion Reine Barkered of Sweden. “It will add even more recognition around the world. For me as a rider I'm looking forward to an even more exciting season with a lot of new faces.”
In addition to the SWATCH FREERIDE WORLD TOUR BY THE NORTH FACE, there will be around 50 qualifier events (FWQ) around the world, ranging from 1 to 4-Stars for up-and-coming athletes to earn a spot on the next years FWT. First stops of the 4-Stars FWQ will be in New Zealand and in Chile in August 2012. Riders will score points in two separate rankings, a FWT ranking and a FWQ ranking.
The North Face, a long-time supporter of big mountain skiing and snowboarding, Freeskiing World Tour and founder of The North Face Masters of Snowboarding, has joined on as presenting sponsor to the new merged Freeride World Tour.
“Since the 1980's, The North Face has been at the forefront of snow-sports with our technical product and pioneering athletes, including Scott Schmidt and Jim Zellers. Inspired by our team at the recent Freeride World Tour - Giulia Monego, Janette Hargin and Xavier De Le Rue - we continue our commitment to the future of freeriding and the next generation of skiers and snowboarders. We are excited to be partner of the globally-unified SWATCH FREERIDE WORLD TOUR and look forward to taking an active role with the tour's organizers and partners in the coming seasons.” said Eric Pansier, VP Marketing EMEA The North Face.
SWATCH FREERIDE WORLD TOUR BY THE NORTH FACE 2013
Competition Calendar
1. Swatch Freeride World Tour Revelstoke 2013 by The North Face
- Dates: 7 - 12 January; Location: Revelstoke (CAN)
- Disciplines: Men's and Women's Ski and Snowboard
2. Swatch Freeride World Tour Chamonix-Mont-Blanc 2013 by The North Face
- Dates: 26 January - 1 February; Location: Chamonix-Mont-Blanc (FRA)
- Disciplines: Men's and Women's Ski and Snowboard
3. Swatch Freeride World Tour Kirkwood 2013 by The North Face
- Dates: 27 February - 3 March; Location: Kirkwood (USA)
- Disciplines: Men's and Women's Ski and Snowboard
4. Swatch Freeride World Tour Fieberbrunn Pillerseetal 2013 by The North Face
- Dates: 9 - 15 March; Location: Fieberbrunn Pillerseetal (AUT)
- Disciplines: Men's and Women's Ski and Snowboard
5. Stop No5 in Europe - Location To Be Confirmed
6. Swatch Verbier Xtreme 2013 by The North Face
- Dates: 23 - 31 March; Location: Verbier (SUI)
- Disciplines: Men's and Women's Ski and Snowboard
Great unification this will strengthened the capacity of SWATCH FREERIDE WORLD TOUR
Posted by: Travel blog writer | 09/27/2012 at 11:29 AM