Snowboard, ski freeride events officially added to FIS competitions

BEIJING, June 6 (Xinhua) -- Snowboard and ski events in freeriding were recognized as an official discipline by the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS) at the 55th International Ski Congress convened Wednesday in Reykjavik, Iceland.

Starting from the 2023-2024 season, FIS began collaborating with the Freeride World Tour (FWT) organizers. During the vote on June 5, this branch of skiing and snowboarding, characterized by off-piste and big mountain powder runs, was officially selected as part of the FIS competitive events.

"With the FWT and FIS having already joined forces since the 2023 season, the ground was set for the Congress to vote on the inclusion of Freeride Skiing and Snowboarding as a full-fledged FIS discipline," FIS stated in a brief announcement.

"The important step brings us closer to the goal of becoming an Olympic Sport," following the approval, the FWT organizers expressed in an open letter.

Unlike highly standardized events relying on groomed pistes and artificial snow, freeride competitions take place on natural snow and mountainous terrain. Athletes are judged on their movements, stability, and speed, making the event highly entertaining and popular among young skiing enthusiasts.

However, the rules and regulations for freeride competitions are still in the early stages, and the off-piste environment poses greater safety challenges. The FIS and FWT organizers did not provide detailed explanations on these issues at the congress.

Founded in 1924, FIS is as old as the first Winter Olympics. Initially, FIS events only included traditional snow sports like alpine skiing and cross-country skiing. Since the 1990s, the federation has embraced more youth-oriented events and has helped bring disciplines such as snowboarding, freeski park, and pipe events to the Olympic stage.

The Freeride World Tour qualifiers were held at the Hemu Ski Resort in Altay, China, during the 2023-2024 season. FWT officials highly praised the area's abundant natural snowfall and terrain.

Additionally, at this FIS Congress, China's Zhangjiakou, Hebei, was elected as the host city for the 2029 FIS Snowboard and Freeski World Championships.