Freeride World Tour

[twat]

125 million skiers and snowboarders vs 35 million surfers worldwide. However people who have never surfed in their life by surf related gear (t shirts and board shorts). Plus the pay day for skiers is the World Cup racing circuit. But even that isn’t as lucrative as being a pro surfer. Easier to sell the beach life style to the masses than the mountain life style. And lots of money that shoes spend is gobbled up by hotels and lift tickets.

fuck i forgot about the WC circus (with the spectators etc....) it is totally not existent in my worldview : ) thanks for pointing it out.

[Mustonen]

That is a rowdy best off. Intense what these athletes deliver.
The putain at 1:09 is fire. Chabloz crossing tips were super scary.

Just read a wsl event win brings 100.000$.
A fwt event win 5000€.

Ok surfing is way more popular around the world. But there is some room.

They have to start taking the production seriously then. I’ve been watching and enjoying the events, but they obviously aren’t comparing themselves to a professional sports production. The drone issues mentioned upthread are an example. The rotating list of announcers that seem to be whoever didn’t have anything better to do that week. No obvious planning for transitions or dead space. It’s amateur hour.

[oltrepiave]

125 million skiers and snowboarders vs 35 million surfers worldwide. However people who have never surfed in their life by surf related gear (t shirts and board shorts). Plus the pay day for skiers is the World Cup racing circuit. But even that isn’t as lucrative as being a pro surfer. Easier to sell the beach life style to the masses than the mountain life style. And lots of money that shoes spend is gobbled up by hotels and lift tickets.

i don't surf but it does sound like a very interesting comparison. I kinda feel like people who try surfing once or surf one week a year don't really claim a stake (or aren't provided one by companies themselves) in the sport and in the industry like it happens with skiing maybe? There's a whole segment of skiing which literally caters to people who approach the actual sport as one of 433 different perks of a mountain holiday. I feel like that kind of clientele wouldn't give a rat's ass about the fwt or any type of competitive skiing. Idk if there are more niches that can be reached at this point, maybe i'm pessimistic though.

[twat]

i don't surf but it does sound like a very interesting comparison. I kinda feel like people who try surfing once or surf one week a year don't really claim a stake (or aren't provided one by companies themselves) in the sport and in the industry like it happens with skiing maybe? There's a whole segment of skiing which literally caters to people who approach the actual sport as one of 433 different perks of a mountain holiday. I feel like that kind of clientele wouldn't give a rat's ass about the fwt or any type of competitive skiing. Idk if there are more niches that can be reached at this point, maybe i'm pessimistic though.

I have no clue how the average joe sees skiing. And what is interesting for him.
I can imagine something like that.
Schnitzel and beer and schnaps preferable in the sun. Shiffrin/Hirscher and some celebrities in courchevelle/aspen on instagram.

[twat]

i don't surf but it does sound like a very interesting comparison. I kinda feel like people who try surfing once or surf one week a year don't really claim a stake (or aren't provided one by companies themselves) in the sport and in the industry like it happens with skiing maybe? There's a whole segment of skiing which literally caters to people who approach the actual sport as one of 433 different perks of a mountain holiday. I feel like that kind of clientele wouldn't give a rat's ass about the fwt or any type of competitive skiing. Idk if there are more niches that can be reached at this point, maybe i'm pessimistic though.

I have a clear picture what the average joe surf holiday looks like. Bali/hawai Nd never in the water. Maybe worse. Bringin a shortboard to the beach and not using it.

[Marius]

i wonder when fis is taking over fully and placing red/blue gates and signs with: "trick- and spin to win" here.

watching fwt reminds me more and more of any alpine racing event, mixed with slopestyle/ oldschool freestyle events. wondering how the alcholics level per visitor would compare to Kitzbühel or similar.

[toast2266]

125 million skiers and snowboarders vs 35 million surfers worldwide. However people who have never surfed in their life by surf related gear (t shirts and board shorts). Plus the pay day for skiers is the World Cup racing circuit. But even that isn’t as lucrative as being a pro surfer. Easier to sell the beach life style to the masses than the mountain life style. And lots of money that shoes spend is gobbled up by hotels and lift tickets.

Yeah, I think it's all about the lifestyle and the visibility of the sport.

There's are tons of iconic movies involving surfing. There's a whole genre of music built around surfing. It doesn't matter how many people actually do it - it's ingrained into the U.S. culture, and that means $$$.

Once the Beach Boys start making ski themed music and Keanu Reeves makes a blockbuster ski movie, then maybe FWT will get the kind of sponsorship needed to offer real prizes. Until then, it'll continue to be relegated to the obscure sports corner.

[teamdirt]

Yeah, I think it's all about the lifestyle and the visibility of the sport.

There's are tons of iconic movies involving surfing. There's a whole genre of music built around surfing. It doesn't matter how many people actually do it - it's ingrained into the U.S. culture, and that means $$$.

Once the Beach Boys start making ski themed music and Keanu Reeves makes a blockbuster ski movie, then maybe FWT will get the kind of sponsorship needed to offer real prizes. Until then, it'll continue to be relegated to the obscure sports corner.

Or

Start a new event, call it “natural selection” travel all over the world, use jets ,helicopters, snowmobiles and snowcats to pull it off, call it green initiative and promote climate change and boom you have a bunch of big $ sponsors.

Insert eye roll here!

[oltrepiave]

Yeah, I think it's all about the lifestyle and the visibility of the sport.

There's are tons of iconic movies involving surfing. There's a whole genre of music built around surfing. It doesn't matter how many people actually do it - it's ingrained into the U.S. culture, and that means $$$.

Once the Beach Boys start making ski themed music and Keanu Reeves makes a blockbuster ski movie, then maybe FWT will get the kind of sponsorship needed to offer real prizes. Until then, it'll continue to be relegated to the obscure sports corner.

yeah i guess i don't know surfing well enough to really be able to evaluate that comparison.

[powdork]

Or
Start a new event, call it “natural selection” travel all over the world, use jets ,helicopters, snowmobiles and snowcats to pull it off, call it green initiative and promote climate change and boom you have a bunch of big $ sponsors.

fify

[raisingarizona13]

You better add some gender neutral competitors and all sorts of races to have that all inclusive look that the corporate sponsors think is so hot right now.

[powdork]

stupid corporations trying to appeal to actual demographics and make money

insert eye roll here

[powdork]

the only thing i could find on the fieberbrunn challenger. beware at 19 minutes there is a virtual repeat of gerritzen's run. no idea on the outcome.
the video format is alernating male skier then snowboarder as far as i can tell (edit- there's way more men ski than anything else so it's alternating mens ski then each other category.)
https://www.open-faces.com/contests/...n-2023/results

[bobinch]

1m of snow forecast in Verbier next week. The Xtreme in powder conditions could make for a great show!

[kootenayskier]

Yeah, I think it's all about the lifestyle and the visibility of the sport.

There's are tons of iconic movies involving surfing. There's a whole genre of music built around surfing. It doesn't matter how many people actually do it - it's ingrained into the U.S. culture, and that means $$$.

Once the Beach Boys start making ski themed music and Keanu Reeves makes a blockbuster ski movie, then maybe FWT will get the kind of sponsorship needed to offer real prizes. Until then, it'll continue to be relegated to the obscure sports corner.

Even with surfing’s broader mainstream cultural accessibility, the financial viability of competitive surfing is tenuous. The current iteration of the WSL still isn’t profitable, and only persists due to being a hobby of it’s billionaire owner’s (Dirk Ziff) wife. Perhaps the FWT should focus on courting a wealthy patron.

[twat]

Even with surfing’s broader mainstream cultural accessibility, the financial viability of competitive surfing is tenuous. The current iteration of the WSL still isn’t profitable, and only persists due to being a hobby of it’s billionaire owner’s (Dirk Ziff) wife. Perhaps the FWT should focus on courting a wealthy patron.

The wealthy patron sold it to the fis.

[Marius]

Or

Start a new event, call it “natural selection” travel all over the world, use jets ,helicopters, snowmobiles and snowcats to pull it off, call it green initiative and promote climate change and boom you have a bunch of big $ sponsors.

Insert eye roll here!

what of the above mentioned is fwt/fis not doing? 20-30 years ago there was a scott sponsored event. 1-2 50person busses and earn your turn approach. they drove there were the snow was best, riders judged themselves.

even the conservative fis alpine race athletes understood that they could save 40% of travel by simply changing the calendar a bit. same with fwt. noone wanted to rewceive their letter with proposals officially.

[Angle Parking]

Vernier confirmed for Saturday.

Middle of the night for West Coast folks. Should make for a good accompaniment for breakfast on Sat.morning.

[bobinch]

Vernier confirmed for Saturday.

Middle of the night for West Coast folks. Should make for a good accompaniment for breakfast on Sat.morning.

Not going to happen with that forecast. Hopefully they hold until Tuesday when conditions should be all time

[powdork]

Not looking good. I mean the banner is looking good. The weather notsomuch
https://www.verbier.ch/summer/webcams/

[twat]

Came here to post the same : )
https://www.bergfex.ch/verbier/webcams/c4921/

[powdork]

first 90 minute postponement is in the books

[twat]

Thats FIS style : ) keep the event going as long as possible. Same as streif and cancel latest!

[subtle plague]

Tuesday will be the go I guess.

[gaijin]

Thats FIS style : ) keep the event going as long as possible. Same as streif and cancel latest!

IDK about that. I remember sitting up with coffee early as fuck in JP wondering if the event was ever going to roll. This is standard FWT possible comp day... set up, hope the clouds roll back, (give all the athletes one last chance to scope the venue), and then press go a few days down the line.

I would venture that the last couple of years were the most consistent start days in history. FIS isn't making any decisions today.