Bummer news out of Switzerland as the Freeride World Tour’s signature season finale Xtreme Verbier has been cancelled due to avalanche danger on the Bec des Rosses.
Definitely a let down as some of us consider this the Super Bowl of skiing and snowboarding but we have to remind ourselves that Mother Nature calls the shots when it comes to big mountain competitions and rider safety is top priority. This marks only the second time in the history of the event that it has been cancelled, the only other time was in 2020 do to COVID concerns.
We want to send out our sincere gratitude to FWT organizers and athletes for another incredible season. Find the full statement from FWT below along with this years overall winners.
YETI Xtreme Verbier competition canceled
The final event of the FWT season, the YETI Xtreme Verbier, has been canceled amid ongoing snow and wind.
Heavy snowfalls over the last 48 hours – including wind gusts of 135 km/h – have generated extremely hazardous conditions on the Bec des Rosses, making the venue unsafe for riding and leaving organizers with no option other than to cancel the iconic event.
Multiple avalanches triggered during safety works
All lifts to the venue have been closed since Saturday, owing to the unremitting wind and avalanche danger, which is currently four out of five. Mountain guides, together with the Freeride World Tour founder and commissioner, assessed the situation from a helicopter yesterday, but safety teams were only able to access the venue this morning.
Unfortunately, during the safety works this morning multiple layers of snow released to form large, widespread avalanches, leaving terrain that is unrideable to even the most seasoned big mountain specialist. Today was the only viable option for competition and, with more clouds and snow forecast for the afternoon and the rest of the week, the Bec will continue to be too dangerous for FWT athletes, preventing the event from running. 
“Following this morning’s bombing on the Bec des Rosses, several large avalanches came down. The venue is therefore unusable for safety reasons, meaning the YETI Xtreme Verbier 2023 is canceled, and the world champion titles will be awarded according to the rankings after four events. We did everything possible with the challenging conditions, but Mother Nature has the final say, which we must respect.”- Nicolas Hale-Woods, FWT CEO 
This marks only the second time in FWT history that the Xtreme Verbier has been canceled, the other being in 2020 amid the COVID-19 pandemic. The FWT rules in this scenario state that whoever is the rankings leader going into the event prevails, meaning the FWT world champions for 2023 are:
Valentin Rainer (AUT) in ski men
Justine Dufour-Lapointe (CAN) in ski women
Ludovic Guillot-Diat (FRA) in snowboard men
Katie Anderson (CAN) in snowboard women
A reminder that Mother Nature calls the shots
This is another reminder that the all-powerful Mother Nature always holds the trump cards, and competition must yield in order to keep the athletes safe. This season, however, will be celebrated and long remembered for many reasons, including breakthrough performances from the next generation of FWT athletes. Congratulations to the FWT23 world champions – the first time each has claimed this prestigious title – and a special shout out to all the riders who have entertained onlookers all season with their progressive freeriding. 
