Family Freeride: Introducing Kids to Freeride Skiing and Snowboarding
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A Parent’s Guide to Junior Freeride, Competition Levels, and Climbing the Freeride World Tour Pyramid
When people think of the FIS Freeride World Tour by Peak Performance, they often picture top athletes performing daring stunts on remote, snow-covered mountain faces. This image can make the FWT Pro Tour seem exclusive and unreachable. What’s often missed is that freeride competitions are designed for all levels, with opportunities close to home that start from a young age. Reaching the FWT Pro level is typically the result of a long journey through the FWT pyramid that often begins in childhood.
FWT Junior: The First Step on the Freeride Path
The FWT competition journey starts with Junior events, designed to introduce young riders (ages 10-18) to the sport. These events offer a foundation in skills, training, and safety and are supported by a network of freeride academies.
Freeride Academies: Building Skills and Confidence
Freeride academies serve as a starting point for young riders. These academies offer structured programs that combine on-slope practice with theorical courses to build both skills and a love for the sport.
Clubs/Associations
Across many ski resorts, clubs offer young riders a hands-on introduction to the sport. For example, the Freeride des Belleville at Val Thorens offers a program that professional riders like Victor de le Rue endorse as a great starting point.
About Val Thorens
Freeriding in Val Thorens has gained immense popularity, largely due to the efforts of key figures like Kevin Guri and Victor Galuchot, who founded Freeski Des Bellevilles. This organization nurtures young talent in freestyle and freeride, training the next generation of pro freeriders, instructors, and first responders. Training here allows us to progress faster as a group. Competing at home is thrilling, and it’s fantastic to have the resort’s support for all these projects.
For a more formal experience, official FWT-affiliated academies offer coaching and development support straight from the FWT. They receive FWT-endorsed guidelines, event support, and mentorship from professional athletes.
In these academies, children gain both theoretical and practical freeride skills through on-mountain practice and classroom instruction. Safety and well-being are prioritized, while essential skills like freestyle tricks, carving, and powder management are covered in depth. Programs can be full-season, weekly, or even day-long (ideal for school holidays), making it flexible for families. Qualified instructors, including former FWT competitors, provide professional supervision, fostering a supportive environment where children can thrive. With the guidance of these academies, children gain the skills and confidence to participate in freeride competitions.
Junior Competitions: Building a Foundation in Freeride
The FWT Junior circuit is inclusive, designed to develop young athletes’ skills while building their confidence. Skiers and snowboarders compete in age groups: U14, U16 Ski Men, and U18 in Europe, Asia and Oceania and U12, U15, and U19 in North and South America.
Safety and Structure
Every event on the FWT Junior circuit is vetted by an FWT Technical Delegate, with a focus on safety and appropriate difficulty levels. Terrains vary in vertical drop (100-300m), and no inverted tricks are allowed to ensure a safe environment.
Star Rating System
To organize the vast number of FWT Junior events worldwide, the FWT categorizes them by star ratings (from 1 to 4 stars) based on their difficulty and challenge.
FWT Junior 1* – A Fun, First Experience: Entry-level events with a focus on fun and skill-building, these 1-star competitions are held on safe, non-exposed terrain, encouraging young riders to build confidence and enjoy the experience.
FWT Junior 2* – Developing Competitors: With a slightly elevated competitive feel, 2-star events are accessible based on ranking and designed for young riders ready to experience the challenge of competition. The terrain remains safe but includes features like wind lips, small cliffs, and rollers to allow riders to show creativity.
FWT Junior 3* – Testing Technical Skills: These 3-star events are reserved for experienced young riders who have previously competed in lower-level events. The courses feature more challenging terrain, including steeper slopes, moderate cliffs (up to 2m), and potential no-fall zones to test their skills and courage.
FWT Junior 4* – The Freeride Junior World Championships: The Freeride Junior World Championships is the premier event for young freeriders, bringing together the top U18 athletes (and select U16s) from around the world. Alongside competition, safety training includes avalanche rescue courses. With about 60 international competitors and live-streamed coverage, it’s the annual highlight of the junior freeride circuit.
With all this theoretical information, we might have lost you a bit. So let’s take the example of Anna Martinez, a current Snowboard Women competitor on the FWT Pro circuit. She began her journey through FWT Junior events. Her first competition was a 2-star in Chamonix in 2016, where she placed third. Over the next few years, Anna gained experience in higher-level events. In 2018, Anna was fully in the game, participating in nine events and securing first place four times—a true champion in the making. In 2019, she finished with five first-place finishes and earned confidence to compete on the FWT Qualifier circuit.
In FWT Junior events, we are super accompanied, but in Qualifiers and the Tour, we are very independent. That’s the biggest difference.
FWT Qualifier Circuit – The Adult Path to the FWT Pro
For athletes aged 18 and older, the FWT Qualifier circuit is the first step toward a professional freeride career. The requirements to register for an entry level contest are kept low to open freeride competitions to a wider audience. Divided into 1- to 4-star events, the FWT Qualifier circuit is designed to gradually increase in difficulty while ensuring safe, regulated conditions.
FWT Qualifier 4* Near-Pro Terrain: These events resemble FWT Pro venues, with exposed terrain and challenging lines, demanding technical skill.
FWT Challenger Tour – The Final Step to the Pro Tour
The FWT Challenger Tour is the last competitive step before joining the FWT Pro. Reserved for invitation-only participants, the FWT Challenger Tour events decide who will qualify for the FWT Pro. The top-ranked athletes in each region (four categories) qualify for the FWT Pro. The FWT Pro riders who do not pass the Cut rejoin the FWT Challenger events to attempt requalification for the FWT Pro circuit next year.
This comprehensive pathway—from local academies to the global FWT Pro circuit—demonstrates that success in freeriding is built on years of training, competition, and dedication. As Anna Martinez says, “Sometimes you win, and sometimes you learn. There are mistakes, but they’re always lessons”. For young riders and their families, the FWT pyramid is a supportive and structured system, turning a passion for freeriding into a thrilling journey with achievable goals at each step. Whether your child is a beginner or you’re an adult looking to step into competition, there’s a place for every level on the freeride path. So don't hesitate to join the FWT family and take part in our events!
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