The SWATCH Freeride World Tour is set to merge with the Freeskiing World Tour and North Face Masters of Snowboarding for a unified six stop, global tour in 2013. The tour, dubbed the SWATCH Freeride World Tour by THE NORTH FACE, features both freeskiing and snowboarding at each event. The tours confirmed locations include Revelstoke (BRITISH COLUMBIA), Kirkwood (CALIFORNIA), Chamonix-Mont-Blanc (FRANCE), Fieberbrunn PillerseeTal (AUSTRIA), an additional European location, with the finals being at Verbier, Switzerland.
Reine Barkered’s 1st Place Run in Verbier 2012
There will be around 50 qualifiers around the world that will provide riders a chance to qualify for the next years world tour (2014), with initial stops in New Zealand and Chile in August of this year.
Ralph Backstrom says about the merger, “I couldn’t be more stoked to hear that the The North Face Masters of Snowboarding and FWT will be combined for next season. I look forward to seeing some more North Americans at the European stops, some more Euros in North America, and an increased talent pool.”
The schedule for the 2013 World Tour is set to begin on January 7, 2013:
1. Dates: January 7 – 12
Location: Revelstoke (CAN)
Disciplines: Men’s and Women’s Ski and Snowboard
2. Dates: January 26 – February 1
Location: Chamonix-Mont-Blanc (FRA)
Disciplines: Men’s and Women’s Ski and Snowboard
3. Dates: February 27 – March 3
Location: Kirkwood (USA)
Disciplines: Men’s and Women’s Ski and Snowboard
4. Dates: March 9 – 15
Location: Fieberbrunn Pillerseetal (AUT)
Disciplines: Men’s and Women’s Ski and Snowboard
5. Tour Stop number 5 in Europe – Location/Date To Be Confirmed
6. Swatch Verbier Xtreme 2013 by The North Face (Final Comp)
Dates: March 23 – 31
Location: Verbier (SUI)
Disciplines: Men’s and Women’s Ski and Snowboard
Backstrom at Chamonix for last year’s tour