LATEST UPDATE: COMPETITION TO BE STAGED IN VALLNORD-ARCALÍS In order to guarantee safe conditions for all competitors, event organizers have decided to reschedule the competition to take place alongside the second stop of the FWT17. So the Andorran ski resort will hold two competitions during the event window from February 9-16. Watch the video below with contest director Berti Denervaud’s explanation.

With just days before the kickoff of the Swatch Freeride World Tour at Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, there is a brisk sense of excitement and anticipation among our Snowledge Ambassador Team. Chamonix-Mont-Blanc is the home of extreme in skiing and snowboarding, and two of our ambassadors (Griffin Dunne of the United States and Kylie Sivell of Canada), are about to compete with the world’s top riders on the alpine needles of Mont Blanc Massif. Skiers Loic Collomb-Patton (Ski Men-France) and Eva Walkner (Ski Women-Austria), are the defending champions, along with Snowboarders Sammy Luebke (Snowboard Men-United States) and Anne-Flore Marxer (Snowboard Women-Switzerland).

Chamonix-Mont-Blanc is located in the Western Alps of France, and is considered one of Europe’s most revered freeride destinations. Recently qualified athletes from the Freeride World Qualifiers will join pre-qualified athletes from 2016’s Freeride World Tour to compete at the Brévent Ski area.

The entry list, with a total of 50 athletes, includes:

22 riders – SKI MEN 9 riders – SNOWBOARD MEN 11 riders – SKI WOMEN 8 riders – SNOWBOARD WOMEN Freeriders from around the world are scheduled to compete on the Clocher Clocheton face. Situated directly in front of the 4810m Mont Blanc at an altitude of 2500m, the venue appears ideal for “multiple airs and aggressive lines,” writes Freeride World Tour organizers in their most recent blog post. “Known for its cliff features and powerful straight lines, the face is a perfect place for riders to warm up their skills during the first competition of the year.”

This event marks the first of five in the international circuit, and according to Freeride World Tour organizers, local wildcard athletes will get an invite to each stop on the competition tour. A total of $79,000 is up for grabs.

Spectators are encouraged to gather to watch the riders compete at the Brévent resort. The official bib draw, opening ceremony, and various other activities are scheduled for Friday (located at the center of Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, in the Event Village). Follow the Freeride World Tour’s Facebook event page and the #DROPIN and #FWT17 hashtags for competition and event updates. Don’t miss posts from our athletes on the Snowledge page, Instagram and Twitter accounts!

For those of who aren’t able to root for their favorite athletes in person, all of the action will be available via live webcast, beginning at 9 am Central European Time on the Freeride World Tour website (www.freerideworldtour.com). Here’s a link to the full event schedule. Check out this highlights video from 2016, or watch this season’s trailer below, to get even more amped up for the 2017 season!