Freeride World Tour

**powdork** · 10-01-2021, 09:36 AM

Lets get back to this Europe vs NA thing.

At least we're not shrinking.
https://weather.com/news/climate/vid...ter-every-year

But seriously, in the caption and in the video they say that the entire range of mountains is on the glacier, rather than the other way around

**altasnob** · 10-01-2021, 10:32 AM

Originally Posted by powdork

Kirkwoods is 1600'. Haven't been a huge fan of snowbird really it seems to get more monotonous than some others. There are tons of >1,000' faces here, if they could do it like in Europe where it's on faces near the resort rather than closing off part of a resort (like Shuksan Arm (is that featured enough?).

Shuksan Arm at Baker is the best venue in the lower 48 IMO (it's like a mini version of the Chugach). Problem is, I don't think it is in the ski area permit area (I believe it is in wilderness). So there is no way the Forest Service would ever allow a commercial event there.

**Dantheman** · 10-01-2021, 10:51 AM

Originally Posted by P.A.B.C.

Superior would be awesome if it weren't south facing.

You'd have to do in January and pray for good early snowfall, which means it's untenable. Setting up a start hut at the top, getting rescue personnel and ski retrievers in place, etc. doesn't seem feasible either. It's a nice idea, but just not realistic.

**toast2266** · 10-01-2021, 11:04 AM

Originally Posted by Dantheman

You'd have to do in January and pray for good early snowfall, which means it's untenable. Setting up a start hut at the top, getting rescue personnel and ski retrievers in place, etc. doesn't seem feasible either. It's a nice idea, but just not realistic.

That ultimately seems like the biggest difference between Europe and NA. All questions of terrain and snowfall aside, the logistics of running a large competition with all of the infrastructure needed for that operation seems a whole lot easier at many of the European venues. Not to mention shipping the whole dog and pony show back and forth across the Atlantic adds a bunch of expense both for the organization and the competitors.

**powdork** · 10-01-2021, 11:09 AM

^Yeah but wouldn't it make sense to do more than one event in North America while they're already here for Kicking Horse

**kathleenturneroverdrive** · 10-01-2021, 11:43 AM

When the FWT first started there was a small but vocal contingent of skiers (some still on the tour) who were fairly vocal that North American venues were rinky-dink and dumb. Which, shit, I'd be annoyed too if I had to fly halfway across the world to compete on Silverado for a few grand. I wonder if that attitude's still prevalent or not...

**toast2266** · 10-01-2021, 12:02 PM

Originally Posted by powdork

^Yeah but wouldn't it make sense to do more than one event in North America while they're already here for Kicking Horse

Probably, but I'm not sure those venues really exist. At least with mountain biking world cups (which has a similarly euro-centric schedule as the FWT), the venue bears a lot of the expense for putting on the competition. There are pretty significant expenses associated with setting up the course and paying for personnel, much of which is paid for by the venue - I've heard numbers in the neighborhood of $1 million for a single weekend of world cup level mountain bike racing. Which means lots of viable venues aren't interested - the benefit isn't there for them.

I have no idea how the FWT is set up, and how much of the cost is born by the organization vs. the venue. But I wouldn't be surprised if the cost / benefit ratio just didn't really pan out for a lot of the NA resorts.

**Dantheman** · 10-01-2021, 01:24 PM

UCI must have much deeper pockets than FWT, so I'm sure hosting a FWT event is a loss-leader marketing stunt. People who watch FWT events, or know what the FWT even is, aren't exactly Vail and Alterra's prime marketing demographic. Zero fucks given.

**TahoeJ** · 10-01-2021, 02:33 PM

The founder of the FWT talked about the various difficulties of US venues on the Low Pressure Podcast last year. He said he's still trying to get one back at some point.

**TahoeJ** · 10-29-2021, 02:20 PM

Wild card announcements, etc.

https://www.skimag.com/performance/c...-2022-preview/

**gaijin** · 10-29-2021, 10:09 PM

Will be rad to see Navarro on his home mountain.

Sent from my iPhone using TGR Forums

**twat** · 11-01-2021, 04:34 AM

Originally Posted by toast2266

Probably, but I'm not sure those venues really exist. At least with mountain biking world cups (which has a similarly euro-centric schedule as the FWT), the venue bears a lot of the expense for putting on the competition. There are pretty significant expenses associated with setting up the course and paying for personnel, much of which is paid for by the venue - I've heard numbers in the neighborhood of $1 million for a single weekend of world cup level mountain bike racing. Which means lots of viable venues aren't interested - the benefit isn't there for them.

I have no idea how the FWT is set up, and how much of the cost is born by the organization vs. the venue. But I wouldn't be surprised if the cost / benefit ratio just didn't really pan out for a lot of the NA resorts.

I heared the crankworx ibk thing cost the city 600.000€ for the weekend!

**twat** · 11-01-2021, 04:37 AM

And it is not a uci wc

one league down

**twat** · 11-01-2021, 04:41 AM

Paging meterman lets but the europe vs america thing to bed and start a FREERIDETOURWORLD 2022 thread

: ) peace and love you god damn hippies

**Pirene** · 11-03-2021, 06:16 AM

Why can't I post pictures without the post being denied? Trying to share some Baqueira venues... One is lift accessed 1400ft drop, the other is 1h30min skin 2500ft+ drop. Thanks

**thefrush** · 11-03-2021, 06:54 AM

Originally Posted by Pirene

Why can't I post pictures without the post being denied? Trying to share some Baqueira venues... One is lift accessed 1400ft drop, the other is 1h30min skin 2500ft+ drop. Thanks

I think there might be a 5 or 10 post limit for posting pictures? Can't remember. Feel free to PM them to me, or make a few more posts.

**thefrush** · 11-06-2021, 11:02 AM

Here are the terrain pics from Pirene with their captions.

"Pic de Parros, the long one outside the resort (never going to happen but it's right there)"

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"The inbounds Vinyeta zone, with the 2000ft+ 6p Jorge Jordana lift"

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**subtle plague** · 11-06-2021, 11:25 AM

The first one is horrible. Death traps under large loaded slopes.

The second one: I guessed as much when I saw it in a few edits and compared it to the maps.
And Hey powdork where is that kind of face right off the mammoth lifts ?

**meter-man** · 11-17-2021, 11:50 AM

Wowee Zowee

**meter-man** · 11-17-2021, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by nordekette

Paging meterman lets but the europe vs america thing to bed and start a FREERIDETOURWORLD 2022 thread

: ) peace and love you god damn hippies

Nord, a couple pages ago, folks voted to change this to the ongoing FWT thread. Fine by me.

I tried to change the thread title, but it looks I can't. I'll ping a mod. Anyone have suggestions of who to ask?

**californiagrown** · 11-17-2021, 11:52 AM

Originally Posted by meter-man

Anyone have suggestions of who to ask?

Rontele?

**babybear** · 11-17-2021, 12:26 PM

Originally Posted by meter-man

Nord, a couple pages ago, folks voted to change this to the ongoing FWT thread. Fine by me.

I tried to change the thread title, but it looks I can't. I'll ping a mod. Anyone have suggestions of who to ask?

I updated the thread title. (that is an edit that can only be done by mods so you weren’t going crazy trying to figure it out)
I’m always happy to help and the mod list is also on pg 1 of the roolz sticky thread in case anyone forgets/ needs assistance in the future.
🥳 party on

**JayPowHound** · 11-17-2021, 12:28 PM

Has Kai competed on the Jr tour before? Based on that new video I think he'd do quite well...

**meter-man** · 11-17-2021, 12:54 PM

Originally Posted by babybear

I updated the thread title. (that is an edit that can only be done by mods so you weren’t going crazy trying to figure it out)
I’m always happy to help and the mod list is also on pg 1 of the roolz sticky thread in case anyone forgets/ needs assistance in the future.
�� party on

Rontele is....babybear?!?

Thanks b-bear!