Freeride World Tour Heads to Asia for the First Time: Japan to Host 4* Qualifier
Robin Azer |
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Credit: Swatch Freeride World Tour 2016
For the first time in Freeride World Tourย (FWT) history, competition will take place on the continent of Asia. Japan will play host to a Freeride Qualifier 4* event,ย skiing’s/snowboarding’s premiere big-mountain challenge.ย Competitors from around the globe will converge on the “Japanese Alps” of Hakabu,ย Japan for a chance to secure a spot on the prestigious Freeride World Tour. Action kicks off in early Janary 2017.
The philosophy of the sport is elegantly simple:
“Forget placing slalom poles down the mountain. Forget building artificial jumps and hips and halfpipes and tabletops. Forget grooming the slopes. Freeride contests are 100% natural, 100% clean. Indeed, the event is all about celebrating the god-given terrain features found on any mountainside in the most exciting and elemental format possible. Thereโs a start gate at the summit and a finish gate at the bottom. Thatโs it. Best run down wins.โ