Where to Ski And Snowboard - Freeride World Tour moves to Courmayeur

Freeride World Tour moves to Courmayeur

21st January 2011, by Chris Gill

Yo! Into the void - but not in Chamonix this season

Fans hoping to catch the Freeride World Tour in Chamonix will be disappointed – unless they head for the other side of Mont Blanc, to Courmayeur.

The international freeride event was due to kick off in Chamonix this weekend, 22 January, but poor snow conditions in the area have forced its postponement. A lack of recent wintry weather means that snow cover is not sufficiently deep on the mountain. And it certainly does not favour the enthusiastic powder hound wanting to rip through the extreme.

It is frustrating for the team, with Chamonix a high-profile venue in the series. But the decision has to be in the interests of rider safety. There has been little new snow in the French resort for some time, and conditions simply are not favorable for this kind of event.

Sponsors Swatch have confirmed that competition will move to Courmayeur, Italy, instead – where conditions on that side of the Mont Blanc range are better.

A firm date and time are due to be issued later today (Friday), although it is unlikely that the event will go ahead on 22 January.

The Freeride World Tour series is one of the major extreme events of the season, now in its fourth year and attracting huge crowds to watch the seriously skilled – and seriously brave – cut lines down steep mountain faces.

In Courmayeur, the riders will tackle a 300m north-face slope that tops out at 2800m. Women and men compete in skiing and snowboarding.

Riders are awarded points for their choice of line, skill and control at mastering the descent. The best of them battle it out for the prestigious top place at the Verbier Xtreme event in March.