FREERIDE WORLD TOUR ATHLETE LINEUP ANNOUNCED

Another mind bending Freeride World Tour (FWT) season is expected with the world’s top freeriders slated to compete in 2020. It’s anyone’s guess who will stand atop the podium as FWT champions this season with the insane lineup of athletes confirmed to compete in FWT20.

Made official today, the athlete roster will once again consist of 49 of the world’s best in four categories: 11 Ski Women, 23 Ski Men, 6 Snowboard Women and 9 Snowboard Men. Each athlete will get the chance to claim the FWT title as they travel the globe for the five-stop tour and throw down their best runs at the world’s premier competitive freeride venues.

Ski Women

The question on everyone’s mind is if Ariana Tricomi (ITA) will be able to claim a historic third consecutive FWT title this year with more boundary pushing riding for women’s freeride. Jessica Hotter (NZL) and Emma Patterson (USA) will be the hungry rookies in the category after successful FWQ campaigns last year. Wildcards Juliette Willmann (FRA) and Evelina Nilsson (SWE) will be looking to cement their places on FWT20 and land at the top of the category.

Ski Men

With reigning champ Markus Eder (ITA) taking a step back from competitive skiing, the field is as open as ever for another competitor to step-up and claim the title. This will surely be on the minds of former FWT champs and legends confirmed to compete like Kristofer Turdell (SWE), wildcard Reine Barkered (SWE) and Drew Tabke (USA). Newcomers to look out for this year will be Carl Renvall (SUI), Blake Marshall (NZL), Tao Kreibich (AUT), brothers Jack and Kevin Nichols (USA), and Isaac Freeland (USA). Yu Sasaki (JPN) will also return to FWT20 as a wildcard.

Snowboard Women

Marion Haerty (FRA) will once again find herself in the hot seat coming into FWT20, feeling the pressure to win back to back titles, which if she can, would be her third overall. However, legends like Manuela Mandl (AUT) and Anna Orlova (RUS) and hungry rookies Michaela Davis-Meehan (AUS) and Michelle Locke (CAN) will all be looking to spoil her FWT title campaign.

Snowboard Men

Last year saw some of the most insane levels of riding ever for this category and FWT20 is shaping up for more of the same. 2019 champ, Victor De Le Rue (FRA) will be gunning to continue his reign with Sammy Luebke (USA) surely looking to take the top of the podium back from him and claim a fourth FWT title. A hugely talented field of legends, newly qualified riders including Cody Bramwell (SWE), Blake Moller (USA) and wildcard Nils Mindnich (USA) will all be hoping to be the spoiler.

For more information on this year’s Freeride World Tour, visit freerideworldtour.com.