Freeride World Tour – freeride championship: alpine skiing, snowboarding. Video. The Freeride World Championship starts in Krasnaya Polyana And our “home” stage of Sochi

In January 2009, the second world championship in freeride will take place - free skiing and snowboarding on undeveloped slopes.

The first stage of the World Freeride Tour, Nissan Russian Adventure, will take place in Russia this year. The competition will take place from January 20 to 25 in Krasnaya Polyana. General prize fund the tour will amount to 250 thousand dollars.

The Second Freeride World Tour, a series of the most prestigious freeride competitions, will be hosted in 2009 by four of the world's leading ski resorts: Sochi (Krasnaya Polyana), Squaw Valley (USA), Tignes (France) and Verbier (Switzerland). This year the Russian stage will open the world freeride tour for the first time.

« Of course, we are pleased to welcome the stage of such a large-scale international event on our native slopes, - comments Vladislav Funtyakov, Deputy Chairman of the Sochi City Assembly. - The fact that Krasnaya Polyana is included in the world competition grid for the second time, and this year it also opens the championship, speaks of the great recognition that the resort has received at the international level. The sport itself is a competition with the elements and therefore the level of organization of this kind of event must be exceptional. And since the athletes already managed to get a little used to the Krasnaya Polyana slopes last year, this season promises to be especially spectacular».

Such masters of freeride as Xavier de la Rue (snowboard, France, multiple winner of the winter X-Games) have already confirmed their participation in the World Freeride Tour 2009, based on the results of which the world champions in the disciplines of alpine skiing and snowboarding will be determined. , three-time World Cup champion in border cross, world champion in freeride 2008), Aurélien Ducroz (alpine skiing, France: repeated champion of France in alpine skiing, vice world champion in freeride 2005) and others. Among the participants are representatives of Sweden, France, Norway, the USA, Austria, Argentina, Switzerland, and Finland. Among them are Russian athlete Gennady Khryachkov, who is currently ranked 10th in international ranking Freeride World Tour snowboarders. Other participants in the Nissan Russian Adventure will be announced in the near future.

« I will be glad to take part in the competitions of the Freeride World Tour 2009 again, - admits Swedish skier Henrik Windstedt, multiple Scandinavian freeride champion, X-Games medalist, 2008 freeride world champion. Considering the sensational results of the last championship and the level of skating of my colleagues, this year I hope to take part in an even more enchanting event! The world tour is growing and developing, which can only benefit freeride as a sport».

« The fact that 100% of the world's athletes who participated in the event in the 2008 season confirmed their participation speaks volumes about the quality of the event better than any other comment., - notes Nicholas Hale-Woods (Switzerland), founder and organizer of the World Freeride Tour. – Freeride is progressing before our eyes, and this is greatly supported by both our former partners, in particular Nissan, and new ones - the administration of the ski resorts of Sochi, Squaw Valley, Tignes and Verbier. The recognition of freeride as a sport is growing, more and more people are interested in it more people. It becomes attractive to business and the media».

Last year, the second stage of the Freeride World Championship took place on the slopes of Krasnaya Polyana. Competitions between forty-five of the best freeriders in the world on the slopes of a unique ski resort became the first international sporting event in Sochi after the city was declared the capital Olympic Games 2014. All event participants noted the excellent skiing conditions, high-quality interesting terrain and the hospitality of the resort.

In the new year, 2009, from January 20 to 25, Nissan Russian Adventure will take place on the slopes of Krasnaya Polyana - the first, opening stage of the second World Freeride Tour.

In January 2009, the second world championship in freeride will take place - free skiing and snowboarding on undeveloped slopes.
The first stage of the World Freeride Tour, Nissan Russian Adventure, will take place in Russia this year. The competition will take place from January 20 to 25 in Krasnaya Polyana. The total prize fund of the tour will be 250 thousand dollars.
The Second Freeride World Tour, a series of the most respected freeride competitions, will be hosted in 2009 by four of the world's leading ski resorts: Sochi (Krasnaya Polyana), Squaw Valley (USA), Tignes (France) and Verbier (Switzerland). This year the Russian stage will open the world freeride tour for the first time.
“Of course, we are pleased to welcome the stage of such a large-scale international event on our native slopes,” comments Vladislav Funtyakov, Deputy Chairman of the Sochi City Assembly. - The fact that Krasnaya Polyana is included in the world competition grid for the second time, and this year it also opens the championship, speaks of the great recognition that the resort has received at the international level. The sport itself is a competition with the elements and therefore the level of organization of this kind of event must be exceptional. And since the athletes already managed to get a little comfortable on the Krasnaya Polyana slopes last year, this season promises to be especially spectacular.”
Such masters of freeride as Xavier de la Rue (snowboard, France, multiple winner of the winter X- Games, three-time World Cup champion in border cross, world champion in freeride 2008), Aurelien Ducroz (alpine skiing, France: repeated champion of France in alpine skiing, vice world champion in freeride 2005) and others. Among the participants are representatives of Sweden, France, Norway, the USA, Austria, Argentina, Switzerland, and Finland.
Among them is the Russian athlete Gennady Khryachkov, who currently ranks 10th in the international ranking of Freeride World Tour snowboarders. Other participants in the Nissan Russian Adventure will be announced in the near future.
“I will be glad to take part in the competitions of the Freeride World Tour 2009 again,” admits Swedish skier Henrik Windstedt, multiple Scandinavian freeride champion, X-Games medalist, freeride world champion 2008. “Given the sensational results of the last championship and the level skating of my colleagues, this year I hope to become a participant in an even more enchanting event! The world tour is growing and developing, which can only benefit freeride as a sport.”
“The fact that 100% of the world's athletes who competed in the 2008 season confirmed their participation speaks volumes about the quality of the event,” says Nicholas Hale-Woods (Switzerland), founder and organizer of the Freeride World Tour. . - Freeride is progressing before our eyes, and this is greatly supported by both our former partners, in particular Nissan, and new ones - the administration of the ski resorts of Sochi, Squaw Valley, Tignes and Verbier. The recognition of freeride as a sport is growing, more and more people are interested in it. It is becoming attractive to business and the media."
Last year, the second stage of the unofficial freeride world championship took place on the slopes of Krasnaya Polyana. The competition of forty-five of the world's best freeriders on the slopes of a unique ski resort became the first international sporting event in Sochi after the city was declared the capital of the 2014 Olympic Games. All event participants noted the excellent skiing conditions, high-quality interesting terrain and the hospitality of the resort.
In the new year, 2009, from January 20 to 25, Nissan Russian Adventure will take place on the slopes of Krasnaya Polyana - the first, opening stage of the second World Freeride Tour. General sponsor Russian stage The world freeride tour is represented by the Nissan Motor RUS company.

The lifts to Mount Mont Fort are crowded. Although the ski season in the Swiss Alps is coming to an end, the charming town of Verbier is a full house: young people and families have come to enjoy the last snowy weekend, but most are there to watch the season finale in freeride. The final stage The Swatch Freeride World Tour is an event for which thousands of people come here.

Below, in Verbier, peace and tranquility reign: spring has already arrived, +18, sunny - people come down from the mountains here to relax and “hang out” in the center of the town. But up above, on the slopes, it’s cold and restless: there are a lot of people who want to ski and see who will become the best in skiing and snowboarding freeride. A huge screen at the highest point of Mont Fort, a helicopter bringing athletes, and a little anxious anticipation. Firstly, the sport is extreme and dangerous. Secondly, the weather decides a lot. This time too, due to fog and poor visibility, the big final is postponed by two days.

Freeride is at the height of fashion in Europe, just like alpine skiing and snowboarding. Everyone rides, from young to old. Naturally, when you start skiing yourself, you enjoy watching the tricks that professionals perform on the most difficult, natural slopes. This is how they become devoted fans of the Freeride World Tour, traveling along the tour route, buying souvenirs with symbols, and having fun at parties organized by Swatch and other sponsors of the tournament.

Unfortunately, it’s been more than 5 years since Russia, where alpine skiing and freeride have many fans, has disappeared from the Freeride World Tour map. None of the Sochi resorts was willing to pay a substantial organizational fee - they say, why do we need thousands of tourists, primarily foreign ones, when everything is already good.

As you know, before the Olympics we held a stage in Sochi - when it was necessary to advertise the city, attract people, create a reputation,” says Nicholas Hale-Woods, founder of Freeride World Tour. - Then there was a pause due to the Games, but after they were held the situation changed and cooperation was suspended. We want to return to Russia, but it all comes down to organizational and financial issues. According to the terms of the tour, 50% of the cost of one stage is paid by the host party - this is approximately 500 thousand euros. In return, it receives places from local and global sponsors, and, of course, an influx of tourists. We had our last negotiations with representatives of Sochi, the Rosa Khutor resort, a year and a half ago, and there has been no progress since then. Therefore, we are now focused on developing new destinations such as China, Japan and Canada. We are ready to resume negotiations with the Russian side. Perhaps one of the representatives of large companies or resorts will read this material at the “Championship” - and we will establish contact. Hosting a stage of the Freeride World Tour is excellent advertising on a global scale. And an average of 10 thousand people come to the stage. In the case of Verbier, for example, this is additional income for the resort - about 3 million euros. Naturally, they don’t see any problem here in paying 500 thousand to get 3 million and worldwide advertising for the resort.

The best Russian freerider, . He is constantly progressing and this season he has already reached the final 7th place in the Swatch Freeride World Tour 2017. And this despite the injury received in the midst of the competition. Video terrible fall Malakhov collected hundreds of thousands of views. He was taken to the hospital by helicopter straight from the descent. But already at the next stage he was in service.

This is the hardest fall in competitions, but in life it was worse when I got into an avalanche in 2010 and fell a kilometer. My back hurt both during the trip to Alaska and after, I can only travel at 60% capacity. In extreme sports there is such a thing - survival of the fittest. For example, in freestyle skiing, “undershoots” or “overshoots” constantly occur, and not only the athlete’s skill, but also his “strength” is at work here.

- Seventh place is yours best result on the Freeride World Tour. Are you satisfied?
- I have consistently improved my rating every year since 2013.

- How do you assess the popularity of freeride and extreme sports in Russia? Is the “party” growing?
- Russia is very well developed extreme species sports, and freeride in particular. There are cool - at the world level - BMXers, skateboarders, snowboarders and so on. There are few of them, but they exist.

- Why can’t the Freeride World Tour return to Russia?
- The price of the event is too high for any Russian resort. That is, it is only a matter of money; some state corporation needs to support the stage in Russia.

Many wealthy businessmen are fond of skiing; there is no potential private sponsor in Russia?
- This is generally a sore point, although I have very good specialized sponsors, my own funding is several orders of magnitude inferior to any Olympic athlete in Russia. A potential patron should start supporting me, and then, if interested, move on to more, but I don’t know of such examples.

All that remains is to wait for the return of extreme sports enthusiasts to Russia, their chilling descents and dramatic falls. In the meantime, there is a queue for the ski lift in Verbier, thousands of enthusiastic spectators, stunning views of Alpine valleys and mountains that have their own laws, known in detail only to freeriders.