Freeride World Tour

[meter-man]

Now just the continuing FWT thread
***
21-22 season starts here: https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...60#post6404360


*****
FWT 2020-21
In a world full of 'Rona, face-melting skiing also melts the viiiiirus. Science!

FWT just dropped their trailer for the 2021 season - time to FIRE IT UP



Venues are the same as 2018, 2019, and 2020 - Hakuba, Kicking Horse, Vallnord-Arcalis, Fieberbrunn, Verbier.

But....there is a NEW FORMAT. OMG!!!!!!!!

1. Athlete qualification will occur at the third stop (instead of the fourth), making the Ordino Arcalís Andorra ‘crunch time’ for the athletes. The same numbers still go through as 2020 (best 2 results out of 3 events counts): 13 ski men, 6 ski women, 6 snowboard men, 4 snowboard women – totalling 29 riders.

2. Two runs in Austria. After a successful test last year with snowboard men, riders this year will get two runs in Fieberbrunn and keep their single best score.

3. The FWT Finals in Fieberbrunn and Verbier will be rolled out after the cut, where for the last two events, the points will be weighted 1.5. This means the winner will take 15,000 points, compared to 10,000 for the first three stops.

4. World Champions will now be crowned for their best three results out of five.

Looks like Sam "the Ibex" Lee is back. Same with Craig Murray. Sweet!

I hope Yuuuuuge is back.

Ari Tricomi and Carl Renvall had a segment in Matchstick's new movie "skiing" the Bec. Cool to see them getting some exposure. Especially the three-peat world champ.

Dunno about anyone else. FWT's "Riders" page only has Kiwis listed. dafuq?

2020 thread: https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...orld-Tour-2020
2019 thread: https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...orld-Tour-2019
2018 thread: https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...orld-Tour-2018
2017 thread: https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...poilers-within
2016 thread: https://www.tetongravity.com/forums/...ide-World-Tour

[TahoeJ]

I like that they're changing it up a bit. I wish they could do two runs at every venue but I also guess that could cause problems with some of them being severely tracked out. Maybe those that are wide enough could designate two starting gates - like they sometimes do already - and you have to do run 1 from gate 1 and run 2 from gate 2. Something like that.

I believe I read somewhere recently that our favorite Japanese cliff hucker intends to return.

Hope this all comes together!

[californiagrown]

YUUUUUGE Sasaki!!!

He needs to put english subtitles on his youtube videos. Ain't nobody got time to learn japanese! Sick skier. I want his food as well.

[grinch]

He said he's training hard. His food truck is amazing. Its a task to only stop once a week on the way home from the bike park. Sooo good.

Sent from my SM-G950W using TGR Forums mobile app

[gaijin]

Can someone smarter than me explain this new format better? Two runs in Austria... but qualifiers are on stop three. Two days of finals? Best run from Fiberbrunn, combined with Verbier?

It's super interesting. Whatever I do understand, I'm stoked on how the finals get stretched out and/or that athletes get a throw-away score. That throw-away score kind of brings the tour back to the roots of athletes pushing and not just playing it safe because they can.

I'm all for athlete safety, and prioritize it, but I am always bummed when an athlete has enough points to basically opt-out of a run. It rewards too highly those who "get lucky" early on.

Because let's admit it-- luck happens and is a real part of this game, too.

[powdork]

Dunno about anyone else. FWT's "Riders" page only has Kiwis listed. dafuq?

So far they're the only country able to travel and compete? ;-)

[Nolan312]

Sad that no Hank Bilous this year, loved his wild energy.

[TahoeJ]

On the NZ note, Jess Hotter said on instagram... "Yes I am intending to compete on the tour this season. Currently, as a kiwi, we haven't been able to find insurance to cover covid related expenses because our country of origin is saying we shouldn't travel. Still working on it!!"

[californiagrown]

Tabke, Tanner and Yuuuuge are back in it. I'm stoked.

[TahoeJ]

"Due to the latest travel restrictions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Freeride World Tour (FWT), in collaboration with local organisations, has decided to cancel the FWT 2021 events in Japan and Canada. The FWT is currently in discussion with several resorts to replace the cancelled events."

https://www.freerideworldtour.com/ne...X50W68cmKmGmus

[JayPowHound]

"Due to the latest travel restrictions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Freeride World Tour (FWT), in collaboration with local organisations, has decided to cancel the FWT 2021 events in Japan and Canada. The FWT is currently in discussion with several resorts to replace the cancelled events."

https://www.freerideworldtour.com/ne...X50W68cmKmGmus

Wasn't really a fan of the Hakuba venue anyways, hopefully they find something good to replace it with. Maybe Cham?

[meter-man]

"Due to the latest travel restrictions in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Freeride World Tour (FWT), in collaboration with local organisations, has decided to cancel the FWT 2021 events in Japan and Canada. The FWT is currently in discussion with several resorts to replace the cancelled events."

https://www.freerideworldtour.com/ne...X50W68cmKmGmus

Wow. Bummer, dude!

I hear all the Canadian heli-ops (and maybe BC huts too??) are currently offering trips to Canadian residents only.

E.g., CMH: https://www.cmhheli.com/coronavirus#bookingpolicy

[powdork]

Hakuba 4* showing live now

[meter-man]

Hakuba 4* showing live now

SuhweeT! Thanks for the heads up. Here's the linky: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5iJQ...ature=youtu.be

[powdork]

Weird they're showing the categories in a different order than they went.

[jackattack]

epic conditions

[Dantheman]

Winning run was sick as hell considering the conditions.

[oftpiste]

mildly entertaining at best

[gaijin]

You know the talent pool is pushing it when 45yo kids are like-- "I should have been there."

I'll say it out-loud: " I would hate to have to qualify for the FWT through the European circuit. But if I had any ambition to spend a season or two on the FWQ to earn an entry to the FWT, I would highly consider competing in Japan."

There... I said it.

[kootenayskier]

I only watched the ski men, and while the skiing standard was low (FWT a guys would have charged in those conditions) the quality of the footage was great, and I actually enjoyed the community event vibe with lots of unknown dudes giving it a go and coming up short.

[ill-advised strategy]

So what’s the status of the old guard of US events...Crested Butte, Snowbird, Kirkwood, Alaska?

Are those just completely gone now? Some bullshit like a kids only event?

I love watching freeski comps but hate how this current version is so Anti-American and so hard to figure out wtf they’re doing and find event vids and schedules and stuff.

[subtle plague]

The FWT is sponsored by people who hate your freedom! And they promote face meting communism!

[TahoeJ]

The FWT is sponsored by people who hate your freedom! And they promote face meting communism!

Post first, then smoke crack.

[teledad]

So what’s the status of the old guard of US events...Crested Butte, Snowbird, Kirkwood, Alaska?

Are those just completely gone now? Some bullshit like a kids only event?

All of those but Alaska have adult events that serve as qualifiers for the FWT. Snowbird just has a 2 star this year but Crested Butte and Kirkwood have 4 stars. (4 star comps count for more points and get a better field usually.) Also Big Sky has a 4 star, and Crystal has a 3 star.

There usually isn’t a lot of video of the US comps though - need to get out and see them in person.

https://www.freeskiers.org/events/ifsa-events.html

[subtle plague]

Post first, then smoke crack.

No way!
to clarify: I was just making fun of yeti's "anti americanism" and combined it with the thread title. the crack helps me think