The 2024 Freeride World Tour by Peak Performance hits Kicking Horse Mountain Resort, February 14 to 20, North America’s only tour stop.
As skiers, it’s completely natural to look at images of big mountains and imagine the line you’d ski, the cliff band you’d send, the couloir you’d squeeze into. We’ve all done it: mind-skied a big face as we drive through the Rockies, Rogers Pass, or the Sea to Sky Corridor. But to actually stand on the ridge and have a starter count you down, drop in and throw down a solid run in front of your peers and a ravenous crowd of spectators, pull off tricks that were once just the stuff of video games, that’s a whole different kind of pressure, that’s the Freeride World Tour by Peak Performance.
What makes KHMR a perfect venue for this level of competition… is the resort’s reputation for having some of the rowdiest, most rugged, yet easily accessible terrain anywhere in Canada.
THE KICKING HORSE SPECTACLE: WHERE TO WATCH
If it sounds like a spectacle, that’s because it is. Instead of gladiators, it’s the world’s best skiers and snowboarders testing themselves in some of the most picturesque and challenging arenas across the globe. The only North American stop on the Freeride World Tour calendar is coming up from February 14 to 20 at Kicking Horse Mountain Resort (KHMR), near Golden, B.C. What makes KHMR a perfect venue for this level of competition, according to Guest Experience Manager Toby Barrett, is the resort’s reputation for having some of the rowdiest, most rugged, yet easily accessible terrain anywhere in Canada.
Historically the competition takes place in Ozone, a double-black diamond playground that tops out at 2500m. The best places to take in the action are either from Redemption Ridge, where spectators can see the entire playing field, or from the bottom of Feuz Bowl, where the judging and finish areas are located, and a Fan Zone is going to be set up with live commentary of each run.
WHO’S ON TOP?
Kicking Horse is the second stop on the 2024 calendar. Two prior events in the Pyrenees, the Baqueria Beret Pro and Ordino Arcalis Pro, both were cancelled due to unfavourable conditions. Organizers pivoted and ran an event in Verbier Switzerland, where Polish skier Zuzanna Witych took the win on the women’s side and Max Hitzig, from Germany, was victorious on the men’s. Results are carried through the remaining events and an athlete’s top three results are used to make up the invite list for the tour’s final event, on the iconic Bec des Rosses face in Verbier, Switzerland. Athletes to watch include Canadian Jackson Bathgate, who is going to be charging hard in front of the home crowd.
FAN FAVOURITES: FWT PARTIES
The FWT event is always a fan favourite in the awesome mountain town of Golden, and Kicking Horse Mountain Resort will be jumping. There’s an event on the 15th of February at the Whitetooth Grill hosted by Monster Energy Drinks and Pit Viper sunglasses. Entertainment is going to be by quintessential mountain town DJ’s Skiitour.
“We’re proud to be the only North American Venue on the tour calendar. And while Kicking Horse gets accolades and our name on the event title, it’s the cooperation and support of Tourism Golden and Destination BC that help make this a world class event.” For full tour schedule check out Freeride World Tour Events
