Freeride World Tour Opener Switches from Pyrenees to Alps

The organizers of the Freeride World Tour have made a quick decision to organize the opening competition of the season in Verbier this weekend.

The tour had been due to start in Spain’s Baqueira Beret but it had been announced that wouldn’t be happening as a warm, dry first few months of the season in the Pyrenees means there’s inadequate off piste snow for freeriding.

Thanks to what they’re describing as a “weather window” this coming weekend: January 27-28, 2024, the FWT team is aiming to hold the competition on Verbier’s Bec des Rosses.

The Alps have had an above average first half of the season for snowfall and it is lying over 4 metres deep on high slopes across the Western Alps. The past few weeks have seen warm valley temperatures and rain on lower slopes, but there’s been more snow above 2,000m and the weekend is expected to be dry.

“FWT organizers are confident in the weather models in the Alps, and current conditions provide an excellent chance of running an event on the weekend, with abundant recent snowfall – including a fresh storm early this week – and bluebird skies forecast for the end of the week. The FWT team is working with local guides to assess the situation in Verbier, and is aiming to hold the competition on the Bec des Rosses with the start gate slightly lower than the summit,” a statement from the FWT explained.

A second event for the Pyrenees planned for Ordino Arcalís has not yet been decided on.

Image top credit Greg Ceas, image above credit Levy Loye

“The organizers are closely tracking the weather forecast in the Pyrenees and keep the option if new precipitations are forecasted within the weather window to organize the Ordino Arcalís Pro during the event’s weather window planned from February 1 to 7, 2024,” the statement concludes.