AFP World Tour Q&A

Favorite event venue of the 2014/2015 season?

What are each of your backgrounds in skiing? (ie where did you grow up skiing, freestyle/freeride background, open to your interpretation of that question)

Hardly any big air events are open. what're the best ways to get invited to most of these events? I'm signed up for the rev tour big air, but I believe that's the only open one on the tour

this ones for Shmuck.

how did the transition from working for newschoolers to the AFP go ?

what was the biggest challenge and what exactly do you do there ?

Do you ever look back at events you've judged and think to yourself 'man I got that wrong'

With the One Hit Wonder being such a big hit, and more skiers wanting to break off from just the same old slopestyle and big air events. Do you guys think you will start bringing in more unique events like the B&E Invitational?

How do you guys made this point of success?

From my perspective, by the time the AFP World Finals rolls around in April, the AFP Championship has long become an afterthought. In addition, during the biggest events of the year, namely X Games and Dew Tour, the AFP Championship is not really a big storyline nor even mentioned much. What are your plans to elevate the profile of the AFP World Championship and build more interest in the series?

What goes into deciding that an event will qualify to be officially sanctioned?

Thank you for the AFP! Love that you use relevant skiers (who have recently skied at a high level & understand the tricks) to judge.

Advise us on how we can help organizations do what it takes to get more silver/gold/platinum level events.

Many of the high level events are invitation-only (which is understandable) but even the excellent open events (Aspen Open, Rev Tour, etc.) fill in the first few minutes of registration. So it seems like we need to encourage more high-level events for crazy-good skiers who are maybe not (yet) getting invited to Grand Prix events, but are trying to break in.

Thanks again.

Will there be any online coverage of the AFP world tour, streaming full events, podium runs, any live coverage at all? Or just after the fact summaries and posted results?

what does it take to become part of the comp seen on the afp calender and where to start. Btw im in aus :)

Andrew Gauthier and Jeff Schmuck are UBER dreamy!!!

why are invited only events rated as high as platinum events, such as the mostly afp sponsored (check out those sponsors vs. the main sponsors for the afp) dumont cup, meanwhile the open events, like the euro open recieve a gold status?? maybe mike spencer can handle that question...

i find it very unfair that the afp sponsored athletes remain at the top, meanwhile many other athletes have very little chance to crack that with having to be top three at only a handful of events...

many europeans feel this is very mafia style, so i was just wondering what your explanation for this is... and please dont give us, "well, the top athletes have proved themselves to be there", because i find that a crap excuse when guys like dumont havent even podium in a while.

another question, why is dumont on the board for athletes when he doesnt even know, or care really about many of the other guys??

im not trying to bash simon, he has done amazing things for the sport, but in my opinion, he is not the guy i would select to represent ALL the athletes...

ps... i was a judge at many high level events, but recently stopped after seeing this unfair afvantage the afp has placed on the ratings for events like dumont cup, x games, and dew tour... seems like there is actually very little chance to make those events, unless you are under those event's underlying sponsors... just seems wrong to me

lastly, im not trying to "hate", or bash what the afp is doing, but it would be nice to see a little more equality and give some chances to those who deserve it, not just the ones that are finacially responsible for the direction that ALL the athletes are headed...

pss... good luck schmuck!! hopefully you can use your intellect to see throught all the bs

How do you guys at AFP feel about the perceived lack of mid to high-level open events on the AFP calendar and how some believe that restricts skiers' upward mobility, thus protecting the 'old guard' of pros?