SCOTT Signs New Three Year Partnership with the Freeride World Tour

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Scott’s commitment to the Freeride World Tour (FWT) goes beyond equipment and financial support. Scott supports some of the world’s best riders including 2008 FWT Runner-Up Seb Michaud, Austria’s Matthias Haunholder who won the 2009 FWT stop in Tignes and snowboard legend Jeremy Jones. This coming winter season will see Scott heavily promoting the FWT and its riders with a range of retail activity, posters and displays. Further, a limited edition “Freeride World Tour Goggle” will be sold in selected shops at the four FWT event resorts.

“It is really rewarding for the Freeride World Tour to see one of the leaders in the ski industry commit for another three years. Scott and the FWT are planning long-term and our partnership that runs to 2013 is an integral part of our growth strategy,” commented Nicolas Hale-Woods, Founder and organiser of the Freeride World Tour.

“The freeride movement with the Freeride World Tour and its qualifier events is the main focus in event sponsoring for Scott Wintersport. Apart from the World Tour we are also partner of several qualifier events such as the Scott Big Mountain Fieberbrunn (AUT), Nendaz Freeride (SUI) and Czeck Open (SUI)”, stated Marc Roesti, Marketing Manager Wintersport, Scott

Scott team riders qualified for FWT’10 are: Skis and accessories: Seb Michaud (FRA) and Phil Meier (SUI). Accessories: Elyse Saugstadt (USA), Jess McMillan (USA), Stefan Häusl (AUT), Matthias Haunholder (AUT), Eric Themel (AUT) and Jeremy Jones (USA).

The Four Stages of the Freeride World Tour
The Freeride World Tour will in its third year continue to align with iconic mountain resorts around the world. Top American freeride skier JT Holmes is back competing after a few years of skiing for some of the major ski and adventure film productions in North America and has qualified to the Freeride World Tour 2010. “Putting yourself up against the best skiers in the world four times during the year, you’re going to see where your strengths and weaknesses are. You’re going to strengthen everything up and you’re going to be the best skier you can, plus, the Freeride World Tour only chooses the best mountains. It is a privilege to ski the Tram Face in Squaw, to ski a heli run in Sochi, ski in Chamonix and the Bec de Rosses in Verbier”.

1. Nissan Russian Adventure by Swatch - Sochi, Russia, 21 January 2010
Krasnaya Polyana, staging the alpine and nordic ski events of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games hosted by Sochi, welcomes FWT back for a third year. As the contest will be held on a remote face with restricted helicopter access, the starting field is limited to male skiers and male snowboarders*.

2. Nissan Freeride de Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, France, 30 January 2010
Chamonix is probably the world’s most renowned alpine resort. Host of the first ever official Winter Olympics Games way back in 1924, skiers and snowboarders now come from all over the world to take on its vast range of steep “couloirs” against the backdrop of the Mont Blanc. FWT ski World Champion Aurélien Ducroz, who was born and bred in Chamonix, will be the hometown favourite on the 400 metre, steep, east facing contest site “Pentes de l’Hôtel” at Brévent.

3. Nissan Tram Face – Squaw Valley USA, 27 February 2010
Perched atop the Sierra Nevada in California, Squaw Valley is a Mecca for big mountain skiing in the USA. Host to the 1960 Winter Olympic Games, Squaw Valley now attracts 600,000 skiers a year. By the third tour stop, the leading World Champion candidates will have emerged and will be looking to make a major impression on the infamous Tram Face, strictly illegal to ski outside FWT contest day.

4. Nissan Xtreme by Swatch – Verbier, Switzerland, 20 March 2010
Since its inception in 1996 the “Xtreme” has been considered the most prestigious event in the freeride world. For the “grande finale” of the Freeride World Tour the elite of freeride will tackle the mythical 500 vertical metres dauntingly steep north face of the Bec des Rosses. Around 5000 spectators will join the riders at one of the most beautiful natural arenas of the Alps.

*The first stage of the FWT10 for female riders is the Nissan Freeride de Chamonix-Mont-Blanc in France, 30 January. Then, they will head to Austria to compete in the Scott Big Mountain Fieberbrunn, 13 February, counting as the second FWT event for female riders.