PR22 – Ordino Arcalís Pro competition canceled

Second event of the FWT by Peak Performance canceled due to snow conditions off-piste

ORDINO-ARCALÍS, Andorra – January 30, 2024: The FWT is sorry to announce that the second event of the season – the Ordino Arcalís Pro – has been canceled due to insufficient off-piste snow conditions, which prevent the snowpack from meeting the safety standards for a FWT Pro competition.

Even though the mountain offered optimal conditions a few weeks ago, recent rains and rising temperatures have damaged the off-piste snowpack, making it too dangerous for professional freeriding.

However, conditions on-piste in Andorra remain excellent and all resorts are fully operational; the ISMF World Cup, as well as the 32nd Borrufa FIS Children's International Trophy – with 250 athletes from 27 different countries – took place in the last weeks, and preparations are being finalized to host the Alpine Ski World Cup in Grandvalira between February 10 and 11.

According to the weather models, a snowstorm will hit the Andorran Pyrenees on February 10-11, unfortunately too late to meet the Ordino Arcalís Pro event’s weather window: February 1-7, 2024. For this reason, a joint decision was made between the operating committee at Ordino Arcalís and FWT organizers to cancel the competition this year.

"Ordino Arcalís, Andorra has delivered some of the best FWT competitions of the last decade. The number of quality mountains, excellent for freeriding, is impressive in this country. Riders, staff and fans are very sad not to be able to come to Andorra this year, and are looking forward to next winter!”

-    Nicolas Hale-Woods, FWT Founder

“Right now in Andorra there are very good conditions for most ski activities for tourism and ski racing, but not for freeriding. This is something that can unfortunately happen. After 9 years of uninterrupted FWT action in Andorra, including three restaged events held here for a total of 12 events across five different areas of the resort, this year's off-piste conditions are difficult and have prompted the FWT organization to cancel the event. Unfortunately, the off-piste snow conditions at Ordino Arcalís are not currently suitable for an FWT Pro event. We wish the organization the best of luck for the rest of the Tour and are already looking forward to next winter to see them again.

-    David Ledesma, Marketing Director of Ordino Arcalís – Grandvalira Resorts

The next and second event of the FWT 2024 will be the Kicking Horse Golden BC Pro, with a weather window that runs from February 14-20.

With four more exciting events on the FWT calendar, there is still plenty of explosive freeride action on the way. Be sure to stay tuned to the FWT social media channels and visit www.freerideworldtour.com to keep pace with all the latest news as it drops.

About the FWT

FWT Management SA is based in Lausanne, Switzerland, and has been organizing premier sports events globally in mountain resorts since 1996. The company founded the Xtreme Verbier, an iconic event in freeride skiing and snowboarding, and turned this single competition into a prestigious series of worldwide events in 2008, the Freeride World Tour (FWT). The company has since grown to include multiple competition series that fall under the FWT brand – including FWT Challenger, FWT Qualifier and FWT Junior – with events across all formats taking place in Europe, North America, South America and Oceania. Since December 2022, FWT is part of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS).

About Peak Performance

Born in the Scandinavian mountains out of a love for skiing in remote, untouched terrain, our passion for adventure and nature runs deep. Our purpose is simple: we bring the freeride spirit to the world. As for our products, they all have the same purpose – empower the freedom to be adventurous and follow your own line. Whether it be horizontally or vertically, on skis, by bike, or on foot, they offer a balance of style and performance. Our Scandinavian heritage is ever present and our commitment to doing better things in a better way is our never-ending responsibility. For more information, please visit www.peakperformance.com.