Freeride Skiing/Snowboarding Olympic debut at 2030 Alpes Winter Games

ChrisC

ChrisC

Well-known member
This is a positive addition! Freeride Skiing/Snowboarding! Long overdue, but the Olympics, and especially FIS, are a bit slow. Even better for viewing than Ski Mountaineering ;)

It will be interesting to see where they locate this event in the future. For 2030 Alps France and 2034 SLC, there are good choices.
  • In France, there are Olympic villages and events in Briançon and La Plagne, and the Freeride World Tour has recently stopped in Val Thorens; this could be an obvious choice. However, there are options all over - by given the wealth mentality, maybe Val Thorens or Les Arcs are the best candidates since they don't have any events scheduled. Neither do Val d'Isere/Tignes, but they are not hosting anything, while La Plagne, Courchevel, Méribel, Serre-Chevalier, and Montgenevre have events.
  • In Utah, I assume both Little & Big Cottonwood are off-limits. Snowbasin has the terrain and infrastructure. Perhaps a better fit than Park City.

However, I do not know where they would have hosted this: Beijing (absolutely zero options), South Korea (meh). Or East Coast USA/Canada?


The International Olympic Committee (IOC) officially confirmed on July 7, 2026, that freeride skiing and snowboarding will make their Olympic debut at the 2030 Winter Games in the Alps. The program will feature four distinct medal events: men's ski, women's ski, men's snowboard, and women's snowboard.

This historic milestone marks the first time an Olympic snowsports discipline will take place entirely on natural, ungroomed terrain. Athletes will be judged on creative line choice, fluid control, technique, and style as they navigate natural features such as cliffs, chutes, and powder fields, rather than on time or a set course.

The inclusion is the result of a multi-year integration plan that began when the Freeride World Tour (FWT) was acquired by the International Ski & Snowboard Federation (FIS) in 2022, officially designating freeride as a sport in 2024


www.nytimes.com

What to know about freeriding, the newest Winter Olympic sport

Freeriding, in which athletes choose their own paths down an ungroomed mountain, is set for its Olympic debut in 2030. Here's what to know.
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com
 
ChrisC said:
This is a positive addition! Freeride Skiing/Snowboarding! Long overdue, but the Olympics, and especially FIS, are a bit slow. Even better for viewing than Ski Mountaineering ;)

It will be interesting to see where they locate this event in the future. For 2030 Alps France and 2034 SLC, there are good choices.
Click to expand...
Sad to see the élimination of the Nordic Combine which has been present since the first games in 1924.
Wondering if Freeride would be a permanent thing or just 1-2 games and done. The 92 Albertville Olympics also had speed skiing as a demonstration sport which lasted only there. I believe ski ballet was a demonstration sport in 88 and 92(?).
 
ChrisC said:
This is a positive addition! Freeride Skiing/Snowboarding! Long overdue, but the Olympics, and especially FIS, are a bit slow. Even better for viewing than Ski Mountaineering ;)

It will be interesting to see where they locate this event in the future. For 2030 Alps France and 2034 SLC, there are good choices.
  • In France, there are Olympic villages and events in Briançon and La Plagne, and the Freeride World Tour has recently stopped in Val Thorens; this could be an obvious choice. However, there are options all over - by given the wealth mentality, maybe Val Thorens or Les Arcs are the best candidates since they don't have any events scheduled. Neither do Val d'Isere/Tignes, but they are not hosting anything, while La Plagne, Courchevel, Méribel, Serre-Chevalier, and Montgenevre have events.
  • In Utah, I assume both Little & Big Cottonwood are off-limits. Snowbasin has the terrain and infrastructure. Perhaps a better fit than Park City.

However, I do not know where they would have hosted this: Beijing (absolutely zero options), South Korea (meh). Or East Coast USA/Canada?


The International Olympic Committee (IOC) officially confirmed on July 7, 2026, that freeride skiing and snowboarding will make their Olympic debut at the 2030 Winter Games in the Alps. The program will feature four distinct medal events: men's ski, women's ski, men's snowboard, and women's snowboard.

This historic milestone marks the first time an Olympic snowsports discipline will take place entirely on natural, ungroomed terrain. Athletes will be judged on creative line choice, fluid control, technique, and style as they navigate natural features such as cliffs, chutes, and powder fields, rather than on time or a set course.

The inclusion is the result of a multi-year integration plan that began when the Freeride World Tour (FWT) was acquired by the International Ski & Snowboard Federation (FIS) in 2022, officially designating freeride as a sport in 2024


www.nytimes.com

What to know about freeriding, the newest Winter Olympic sport

Freeriding, in which athletes choose their own paths down an ungroomed mountain, is set for its Olympic debut in 2030. Here's what to know.
www.nytimes.com www.nytimes.com
Click to expand...
Mount Ogden offers the ultimate start to OOB freeride. Exit the Mt. Allen tram beer can, then hike the ridge to lookers left. Enter the finger chutes at your own risk. Right next to Mt. Ogden chute but a huge step up… 50* entry/narrow rocky choke/exit onto Mt Ogden bowl. This could be combined with a link up to the Grizzly downhill then the JP Jones trees.

If snowbird is in play you’ve got the possibility of a mitigated American Twin upper section or pipeline. Baldy’s bowl too.

A dark horse would be the black bess area of Fantasy Ridge. 50-55 degrees with options for couloir or face skiing. Rarely skied in the past/perhaps never again since the installation of the Wyssen tower🙁.

Curious what others think about in bound or slack country possibilities.
 
There are maybe two candidates?

1. Snowbasin. They previously spent heavily to enable the SLC Olympics and its Downhill races, so they deserve a first offer for Freeride. Also, from a spectator perspective, there is a lot of relatively mild terrain under its Mt. Ogden. I am sure there is an appropriate area to transport attendees and media via lifts? IDK. Logistically, Snowbasin likely works best.

2. Snowbird. I feel like this is perhaps the most appropriate stage, and it's hosted Freeride World Tour events previously. FIS now owns FWT, and I am sure FIS could influence the IOC on the location - either tested Snowbird or new-to-tour Snowbasin.

2025 Snowbird IFSA Qualifier – Freeride World Tour

www.freerideworldtour.com www.freerideworldtour.com
However, everyone is a 'snowflake' these days, and I am sure a single Olympic event would ruin LCC for decades (vs. the onslaught of backcountry skiers due to population growth).


The Olympic Freeride Competition could transform Snowbird's Cirque into a giant amphitheater for viewing the event:

Spectators for freeride events at Snowbird typically gather directly at the bottom of the competition face (such as North Baldy or The Cirque). This amphitheater-style layout allows crowds to watch athletes navigate technical chutes, cliffs, and rock features while finishing right in front of the viewing area. For the best experience watching the competition live on the mountain, spectators can utilize specific viewing zones: The Finish Arena / Amphitheater: Located at the base of the mountain face, this is the most common spot to gather. It often features a public viewing space where you can see athletes bombing down the final stretch, complete with music and an event announcer. The Ridgelines: From higher elevations—such as West Baldy or traversing ridges accessed by summit lifts—spectators can get a dramatic, eye-level vantage point of the action.
 
IMO the cirque is neither steep nor long enough. Possibly start off Baldy and feature the massive cliffs at the bottom of fields of glory? The best would be something in the backcountry - Superior would absolutely work with features in pinball alley, 2700+ vertical and lots of room at the base for spectators.
 
Finals at Snowbird freeski events are on Baldy. Qualifying runs are on Upper Silver Fox. A couple of these events have been at start or end of my timeshare week.
 
Was it already mentioned that because of a single method of access in and out of LCC and BCC that no olympic events can be held there. At least I think that was the reasoning in 2002.
 
Matthew Prince appears to be hellbent on linking PC and LCC.

He owns the town lift plaza on Main Street and is attempting to induce a forced sale of vail resorts’ assets, including PC.

He’s got deep pockets and friends in high places so I would say there’s a 15% chance we see that gondola by 34.

Tony, do you have particular insight here?
 
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Tony Crocker said:
I would assume no events in LCC. Traffic issues are far worse now.
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Yeah and it's not just a traffic issue, the constrained egress is a safety issue. For example, if there was a mid-day canyon closure during an Olympic event due to an avalanche or big auto accident, then 1000s of spectators along with recreational skiers could be stuck up there for an extended period. And if you added the unlikely, but not inconceivable, possibility of a mass-casualty event it could be very difficult to treat the victims, etc.
And yes, I've heard that if SLC gets another Olympics it could motivate them to move forward with the gondi up LCC.
 
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