18 Riders qualified for FWT24

The FWT Challenger series in both region 1 and 2 have finished for the season, unveiling the riders who have earned their place on tour next year.

A mix of young, budding rookies and former FWT athletes will be added to the star-studded FWT24 roster, which is now locked in and ready to fire next season. Plenty of fresh faces graduating to the Freeride World Tour this season, but, with a wealth of combined experience on the FWT Qualifier series, they will undoubtedly be at home competing in the big mountains next year. This also showcases the level of the up-and-coming riders, as none of the FWT-relegated athletes managed to regain their position on tour.  

Region 1 - Europe & Oceania

These athletes have shown they have the skills and determination to rise to the top, and will join the world’s best freeriders next year. Blake Marshall returns for his fourth season on the FWT and Hugo Serra his second, while Sybille Blanjean boomerangs straight back on tour after not making the cut this season, with a win and second place in the FWT Challenger events. Timm Schröder enjoyed a near-perfect Challenger series – taking home a win in Fieberbrunn and Verbier – as Martin Bender, Hugo Serra, Astrid Cheylus and Anna Martinez all put down dominant performances with a win each during the series and a bunch of podiums between them. Ben Richards and Tenra Katsuno also spent time on top of the podium – each with a second-place finish – while completing an overall super consistent series.  

Region 2 - Americas

Congratulations to all these riders, who have proven they are not only at the top of their game, but also shown the required consistency to earn a place in the pinnacle of the sport, the FWT. Some of these athletes have toiled away for years for a shot at the FWT crown, including Jackson Bathgate, who won the 2016 Freeride Junior World Championships, but had a string of injuries that kept him from competition. Brian Stenerson has been knocking at the FWT door since 2014, enjoying multiple podiums and narrowly missing out on the promotion on several occasions. Keep an eye out next year for 18-year-old Lydia Nelsen, who put down a dominant performance in the series, taking home two out of three wins, while Erin Sauve went one better with a clean sweep – claiming victory in all three events. 

A special shout out also to all the competitors on the Challenger series, especially those who narrowly missed the cut – such as Brodie Jensen (CAN), who missed out by only 100 points. We look forward to seeing you all bounce back next year, and challenge once again for a place on the FWT. 

Check out the full rankings here, and be sure to stay tuned to the FWT social channels and website for all the latest news as it drops, including the announcement for the qualified riders from region 1 of the FWT Challenger series.   

Stay tuned for Freeride World Tour 2024

Congratulations to these athletes and all the competitors on the Challenger series. Visit www.freerideworldtour.com to see all the results from the FWT Challenger series and the full rankings, and don’t forget to stay tuned to the FWT social channels in the off season, as the countdown to FWT24 begins.