Just after the exciting final event in Verbier at the end of the 2014 Freeride World Tour, the organisers announced with some controversy that the 2015 edition would feature only one non-European event (in Alaska) and that due to ‘logistical reasons’, women would be unable to compete.
The FWT have amended the schedule for women to compete at every event on the tour, including every rider’s dream destination of Alaska.
Obviously that caused a stir, but now we’re happy to report that they have amended the schedule for women to compete at every event on the tour, including every rider’s dream destination of Alaska. Rather like the final event at the Bec des Roses it will see only the top eight snowboard men and top seven women taking part after the first three stages as the terrain will likely be some of the gnarliest ever seen on the FWT.
If you ask us, the tour could still include at least one ‘mainland’ American date and maybe even a summer, Southern hemisphere destination to truly round it out, but for now we’re stoked that we’ll get to see the women compete in AK.
Hopefully we’ll soon bring you a full list of the European FWQ dates so that any burgeoning backcountry Brits out there can look into the possibility of entering one or more qualifying events in the hope that one day more will join James Stentiford and Sascha Hamm in the main event.
But for now with five months to go until the first date in Chamonix, we’re already getting excited for the 2015 tour! Bring it on!
