Two more contests to go before the first ever Freeride World Champions will be revealed. The world’s best freeride snowboarders have just completed a week of top level freeriding at the Swatch O’Neill Big Mountain Pro. In a few days it is time to meet up again for the Nissan Freeride de Tignes and then the final stop of the Freeride World Tour in Verbier for the Nissan O’Neill Xtreme one week later. The suspense is growing with a very tight ranking. Who will be crowned Freeride World Champion? Stay tuned to find out…

The Freeride World Tour started off in January with the Nissan Mammoth Challenge, before heading to the Nissan Russian Adventure, at the 2014 Russian Olympic host resort, Krasnaya Polyana, Sochi in early February. Last week, the male riders showed their skills at the Swatch O’Neill Big Mountain Pro, a mobile event in the Alps. Legendary snowboarder Jeremy Jones won the event overall with fast and fluid riding.

This weekend, the top 45 male and female riders are meeting up in Tignes for the fourth contest, Nissan Freeride de Tignes on Saturday 8 March.

All is at stake to crown the Freeride World Champions in less than two weeks but there are a few riders standing out so far. Austrian snowboarder Flo Orley is leading the snowboarders’ ranking list after two solid contests, taking a win in Russia and a second place in the US with fast, fluid and steady runs. He maintains in the lead of the ranking system after a fifth place at the Big Mountain Pro. With an impressively strong first run at the Big Mountain Pro, French boarder cross world champion and snowboard pro Xavier de le Rue took second place and has therefore climbed to second overall on the FWT ranking followed by the two Swiss riders Cyril Neri and Alex Coudray, both on third place.

Among the world’s top female freeriders, Austrian Bibi Pekarek is leading the snowboarders ranking, but the top podium spot is wide open as second placed pro Swiss rider Geraldine Fasnacht has had to drop out of the tour due to torn ligaments.

The grand finale – the Nissan O’Neill Xtreme de Verbier – will take place on 15th March, with reserve days of 14-23 March.

Live coverage of Nissan Freeride de Tignes and the Nissan O’Neill Xtreme Verbier will be available on the Freeride World Tour website.