Featured Picture: Jeremy Bernard, Courtesy of the Freeride World Tour
The beginning of the 2025 Freeride World Tour is formally proper across the nook. Scream it from the mountain tops, inform your pal on the chairlift and begin spreading the phrase. It’s time to rumble in Spain! After Cease One at Baqueira Beret was canceled final yr attributable to poor snow circumstances all through the realm, there’s little doubt that each riders and followers are itching to return to this ever-exciting freeride mecca.
Whereas the occasion has been held on the legendary Baciver face previously, this yr’s competitors will happen on La Bamba because of snow security considerations. As well as, this can be a backcountry occasion with no designated public viewing entry or watch zone on the face. Nonetheless, followers can collect at Pla de Beret in Baqueira Beret, the place the competitors can be broadcast for all to see.
Rising to a summit of 2541 meters and descending to a end at 2069 meters, La Bamba is a putting face throughout the Vielha e Mijaran County. With a median slope of 40 levels and sections reaching a staggering 53 levels, this Alaska-style mountain is a freeride paradise that instructions consideration. Seen from the highway, its imposing magnificence and freeride potential have lengthy impressed locals.
As the following greatest choice to the famend Baciver face, La Bamba delivers an exciting various with its numerous terrain and technical calls for. Large cliffs, spines, and wind lips outline the mountain, creating a super playground for freeriders to unleash their creativity. Freestyle riders, particularly, will discover La Bamba’s pure options the proper stage to showcase their expertise and creativeness.
Situated close to Baqueira, La Bamba completely embodies the spirit of freeride competitors. With its mixture of steep pitches and difficult pure options, it stands as an iconic venue for pushing the boundaries of what’s potential within the Pyrenean mountains. – Freeride World Tour
Shifting the competitors away from the beloved Baciver face was not a simple choice, however a clever one. “The final snowfall got here with robust southwesterly winds, gusting as much as 100 km/h, which scraped a lot of the snow from the mountains,” defined FWT Commissioner Laurent Besse. “Whereas the venue may have labored with spring snow circumstances, the upcoming chilly temperatures and high-pressure forecast have left the west-facing slopes unsafe for competitors. Fortunately, La Bamba gives a wonderful various with its numerous terrain, superior snow high quality, and optimum safety, making certain an thrilling and secure begin to the season.”
Like all FWT occasions, Cease One will showcase the most effective from Snowboard Males, Ski Males, Ski Ladies, Snowboard Ladies, with the person fields dropping all through the day within the order listed above.
There have been just a few main roster modifications as of late. Within the Ski Ladies’s discipline, Canadian Katie Anderson and Swiss rider Sybille Blanjean are out for the season attributable to harm, prompting a Season Wildcard being given to Elisabeth Gerritzen. The Swiss freeride icon spent seven years competing on the Tour, and as luck would have it, she’ll be again seeking to safe the highest spot in a discipline that’s open for the taking.
Within the Ski Males’s discipline, 2024 FWT World Champion Max Hitzig has suffered a season-ending harm. Whereas it is a large disappointment for all, it leaves the primary seat obtainable in what is perhaps probably the most aggressive Males’s Ski roster we have now ever seen. We want all injured athlete’s a swift restoration and may’t wait to see them again in motion quickly.
Reside protection from Cease One of many 2025 Freeride World Tour will kick off on Friday, January seventeenth at 9:30 AM CET, with the primary rider dropping at 9:45 AM CET.
