FREERIDE WORLD TOUR FIEBERBRUNN PREVIEW

The world title race is heating up as athletes prepare for the third stop of Freeride World Tour (FWT) in Fieberbrunn, Austria. Two successful competitions went down in Ordino Arcalís, and now it’s Crunch Time for athletes striving to keep their campaigns on track.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5cT8AEN9f5s&feature=youtu.be

The FWT and Fieberbrunn have a harmonious history together, this year celebrating the 12th consecutive competition. It’s no wonder, as Fieberbrunn’s Wildseeloder face offers the perfect terrain for freeride competition—steep, exposed and challenging to even the most seasoned riders—and must be tamed by athletes in their quest for the FWT title. With over a decade of unforgettable competitions in Fieberbrunn, can athletes find creative new ways to tackle the Wildseeloder?


Photo by Mia Knoll / Freeride World Tour

February saw unusual weather patterns across the Alps; warm winds and little fresh snow continue to challenge organizers to prepare the venue for the world’s best freeriders. Lolo Besse, FWT Commissioner, is already on-site to analyze the terrain and assess the snow quality, as staff and athletes make their way to Fieberbrunn.

Facing these rare snow conditions, and these challenging Covid times, the weather window of the Fieberbrunn competition will be extended until the 17th of March. During this period, organizers will make every effort to complete the third stop of the FWT in Fieberbrunn, Austria. The possibility of replacing the Kicking Horse Golden BC event with a fourth Stop in the Austrian Alps is still being explored, before heading to the finale in Verbier.


Leo Slemett. Photo by Dom Daher / Freeride World Tour

French and American riders are leading the charge, with Marion Haerty (FRA), Juliette Willmann (FRA), Blake Moller (USA) and Maël Ollivier (FRA) all wearing the coveted golden bib. But the local contingent is strong: 2018 Fieberbrunn winner, Gigi Rüf, was missing in Andorra; former FWT Champion, Manuela Mandl, is hungry to regain the title and pushed the limits in Andorra by choosing a gnarly, exposed line; and Tao Kreibich seems to have found his FWT flow. All will stop at nothing to win in their home mountains. To further spice up the women’s ski category, Arianna Tricomi (ITA) returns to competition—ambitious to make up for lost time in Andorra and defend her crown.

The competition will be closed to the public. However, All FWT events will be live online, so be sure to watch all the action as it happens on the FWT’s website or YouTube channel.


Ayana Onozuka. Photo by Dom Daher / Freeride World Tour

The FWT would like to thank all their media partners who continue their support of the sport and cross-post on their channels: Teton Gravity Research, Lugares de Nieve, FUEL TV, Board Sport Source, Whitelines, L’Equipe, RTS, The Inertia, Freeride.se, Friflyt, WePowder, Forecast Ski Magazine, Ski Believers, Prime Skiing & Snowboarding, Unofficial Network, Xtreme Video, SBC Skier, Downdays, Bergstolz, Mpora, Outdoors Magic, Snowsurf, Skieur Magazine, UNREEL, Agence Sport Center, Aka Skidor, Canal 9, In the Snow, Moka Magazine, Mountain Life Media, Neve Italia, ZDF, Solonieve, La Stampa, Kiss The Mountain, Powderguide, Shop-eat-surf, freeskiers.net, and Low Pressure Podcast.

The third stop of the FWT is moments away. Stay tuned to freerideworldtour.com and the FWT’s social media channels (@freerideworldtour) for updates and rider news as the world title race continues in Fieberbrunn this week.


Photo by Jeremy Bernard / Freeride World Tour

As health and safety is always the priority for FWT organizers, they are actively working in conjunction with local authorities to ensure each competition is compliant with current regulations.

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