Where to Ski And Snowboard - FWT cancelled in Chamonix

FWT cancelled in Chamonix

31st January 2017, by Abi Butcher

The opening event of the Freeride World Tour will now take place in Arcalis, Andorra

This week’s opening event of the Freeride World Tour in Chamonix has been cancelled due to unsafe conditions.

The first event of the tour that pits the world’s best freeride skiers against each other in venues around the world will take pace in Andorra in early February. Some 52 competitors were due to kick off the season in Chamonix this week but despite a sufficient quantity of snow in the area, strong winds have eliminated every possible option for a competition on an out-of-bounds venue in the Mont Blanc Valley.

After careful assessment and two days of delay, local mountain guides and event organisers have announced the competition will move on to Vallnord-Arcalís in Andorra in two competitions held between 9 and 16 February.

FWT guides attempted to locate a competition face outside of the ski areas on a very remote venue only accessible by foot in the Mont Blanc Valley as well as potential neighboring venues but have drawn a blank. This has happened only three other times in the past ten years.

A statement from the Freeride World Tour said: “Organisers accepted the fact that conditions were difficult in the mountains. By hosting back-to-back events in Andorra, the FWT aims to guarantee three competitive stops before the first round of qualification cuts are made after Fieberbrunn, Austria.”

Despite the rescheduling of the event, music, après ski activities, and ski and snowboard tests still took place this weekend in the town of Chamonix. In addition, all FWT athletes are attending safety workshops in the coming days to ensure the highest level of safety during the 2017 season.

For the latest information visit freerideworldtour.com

Abi Butcher skied in Arcalis a couple of seasons ago and loved it — read her blog here.