Freeride World Tour Q&A with Tom Winter

This is so cool! Thanks for taking the time to do this.

What's the most exciting thing about the Collegiate Big Mountain Tour, and what do you hope it will bring to the sport?

Good stuff. Any plans for the Collegiate Big Mountain Tour to ever come east?

What goes in to deciding where an event will be held?

Will the junior comps be affected in any way?
Will the IFSA collegiate tour be judged the same way as FWQ?

Oh men!!! Questions are pretty ready now!

Do you think they will bring a stop back to Canada/USA other than the Alaskan stop in 2016?

Such a shame to drop the Revelstoke stop just because of a couple of bad snow conditions.

if i still have my old college ID can i use use it to "illegally" enter a college comp?

Will there be a stop in Canada again for the FWT. It was such a shame that Revy was cancelled.

Can you go over how big mountain contests are judged? Admittedly I'm a little lacking in knowledge of the matter.

So stoked on all the collegiate tour talk! Do you see this tour ever merging with the NCAA or are there not enough colleges with big mountain venues to train on?

Great work with Independent Skier Mag!

I vote we get Barlow to answer a few of the questions as well. I just want to see him get angry and yell at people really.

Have a few questions for ya!

Not sure if I heard this correctly but are the collegiate stops also FWQ 2*s? Is it a separate title awarded within a normal FWQ or is it only for college students?

Will there be more of these in coming seasons/ do you have to prove you are currently taking classes to participate?

Also is there a chance that other existing competitions like the Subaru Freeride Series will be FWQ's again?

What's some advice you would give a young, up and coming FWT athlete who is looking to progress and compete with the big dawgs?

Sickest thing you saw on the tour last year?

Are the collegiate series for university and college students only?

Good Morning everyone, thanks for your questions. First off, here is a "quick look" at the overall landscape for 2014/15. This covers a lot, but maybe not everything people need to know. However, it's a good start for anyone interested in competing this year.

Secondly, if you have additional questions that I don't cover this morning or if you need any assistance or advice or help later on in the season, don't hesitate to contact me directly and I'll do what I can to help. PM me here, or (because I'm not here that often) message me via Facebook and I'll do my best to get back to you as soon as I can.



2014/15 FWQ/IFSA Quick Look

In the 2015 season, athletes from both sides of the Atlantic will be able to gain points for ranking in the Freeride World Qualifier (FWQ), Freeride Junior Tour (FJT), and the International Freeskiers and Snowboarders Association (IFSA) thanks to an agreement between the IFSA and the Freeride World Tour (FWT). With more than 60 IFSA adult and junior events, this IFSA/FWQ alliance delivers a worldwide competition system for athletes. The IFSA Junior Series will operate as it has in recent years and will add more competitions. The IFSA/FWQ Adult Series will provide new competitive opportunities for adult athletes across North America, and will allow athletes can earn qualifying points for the FWT. Finally, with the addition of the Ski The East Freeride Tour, both the junior and adult tours now cover North America from coast to coast.

What is the IFSA?
The International Freeskiers and Snowboarders Association (IFSA) was established in 1996 by Shane McConkey. A non-profit 501(c)3 organization, the IFSA’s mission is to operate as an international sanctioning body for big mountain freeriding. With input from its members, the IFSA sets sanctioning guidelines for event execution and judging to ensure consistent competitions. Another important mission is to represent the needs, interests, and safety of freeride competitors. The IFSA pursues every opportunity to help athletes compete, learn, train, have fun, and achieve their freeriding goals.

Who is the FWT & FWQ?
The “Freeride World Tour” (FWT), “Freeride World Qualifier” (FWQ), and other junior athlete oriented tours are the top tier international freeride ski and snowboard competitions in Europe, North-America and Asia.

What is the relationship between the IFSA and FWT?
The IFSA and FWT entered into an alliance this year to more effectively execute a global freeride event series. The IFSA will serve as the sanctioning body of Freeride ski and snowboard events for grassroots development in Region 2 (North America and South America). The FWT will serve as the sanctioning body of Freeride ski and snowboard events in Region 1 (Europe, Oceania, and Asia). The sanctioning bodies will cover both junior and adult FWQ events. FWT will be the sanctioning body for all FWT events.

What is the FWQ/IFSA Series?
Freeride World Qualifier (FWQ) in Region 2 is an event series composed of independently organized events ranked from 1 to 4 stars. These events enable riders to score points in the FWQ ranking system and to qualify for Freeride World Tour (FWT). All FWQ events in Region 2 will be sanctioned by IFSA. The IFSA-sanctioned adult series will also serve as part of a new North American FWQ series that will further advance adult athletes through the FWQ/FWT qualification system. All adult events within North America that shall be considered a qualifying event for the purposes of FWT ranking shall be sanctioned by the IFSA.

When will registration begin for IFSA/FWQ events?
Registration for IFSA/FWQ events will begin in late November and continue through the season.

Are all of the events for the 2015 season already on the schedule?
No. Currently there are eleven 2- and 4-star events announced, but additional events will be added to the schedule throughout October.

How do I keep up with changes to the IFSA/FWQ Region 2 schedule?
You can check the IFSA’s website at http://www.freeskiers.org or the IFSA’s facebook page. All schedule updates will be emailed to all 2015 FWQ license holders.

Do I need a FWQ License?
Yes, all riders desiring an FWQ ranking must have an IFSA/FWQ membership.

What are my License fees used for?
Membership fees collected from IFSA/FWQ athletes will be allocated specifically to the support of IFSA/FWQ events and for the fulfillment of the IFSA mission. The IFSA operates as a volunteer driven organization at this time and reasonable membership fees will be used for series expansion, insurance and other sanctioning or event-related support.

When and where can I purchase an IFSA/FWQ Region 2 License for the 2015 season?
The 2015 IFSA/FAQ adult license are now available on Member Pro. You can access the license page as well as learning about how registration works by going here: http://www.freerideworldtour.com/registration.html


Will the Licensing process be similar to last year’s?
Yes, since most FWQ riders are familiar with the Member Pro system, we will use the platform for both licensing and some event registrations.

Where will Registration take place?
Event registration will take place on Member Pro for all 3- and 4-star events. 1- and 2-star events may take place on Member Pro or other registration sites as determined by the event host. The EVENTS tab on the IFSA website will always have the most current event information and links to all registration sites.

Will there be a 2015 seeding list for Region 2 athletes?
Yes, just as in previous years, athletes will appear on the world wide seeding list. The seeding list consists of the 3 best results of each athlete during the last 52 weeks. The seeding list is ranking riders as follow: 1. Actual FWT riders. 2. Past year FWT riders not qualified for FWT anymore, 3. FWQ riders with 3 best results of last 52 weeks and 4. Frozen points riders are inserted accordingly. The initial seeding list will be available in late October.

Who can register for events?
All events will have an open registration component to them. Consistent with last year’s process, 3- and 4-star events will give preference to seeded athletes with open registration to follow as available. The Collegiate Freeride Series (a new series of 2-star events) will have both a quota registration component and an open registration component. All other 2-star events will have open registration.

If I competed as an IFSA Junior in the 2014 season, will I carry points forward into the FWQ 2015 season?
Yes! All events in the 2014 IFSA North American Junior Series will be assigned a star attribution. All graduating athletes will be notified of their FWQ Ranking in late October.

When will I know I am accepted to an IFSA/FWQ event?
Immediately for 1- and 2-star events, and upon processing of the seeding list for 3- and 4-star events.

Who is handling the IFSA/FWQ registration and ranking process?
The IFSA will manage registration and results of IFSA/FWQ events on the Member Pro system. This includes: creating events, opening and closing registration windows, providing start lists, collecting results, and uploading results from event organizers. While event registration may take place on different platforms, all event results will tabulate within the Member Pro system and be handled by IFSA staff.

What events are eligible for IFSA/FWQ ranking?
All Region 2 events meeting the IFSA/FWQ sanctioning guidelines are eligible IFSA/FWQ events.

Is the 2015 Subaru Freeride Series part of the IFSA/FWQ Region 2 Series?
At this time the Subaru Freeride Series is not part of the IFSA/FWQ Region 2 Series.

Will the IFSA run the North American FWT events?
No. The IFSA manages the FWQ event series in North America but will not manage any FWT events at this time. The IFSA and FWT may expand the scope of collaboration in upcoming years.

Will there be a Region 2 IFSA/FWQ Athlete Board?
The IFSA currently has a multitude of individuals participating on various advisory boards. The IFSA relies upon athlete input when making decisions, which may entail athlete advisors, boards, surveys and the like. If you are interested in joining an Advisory Board, please contact the IFSA at freeriders@freeskiers.org.

What document covers Competition Rules and Judging?
The 2015 IFSA Handbook will govern rules and practices of all events. The rules encompass event inspections and all practices related to IFSA/FWQ sanctioned events and activities. The IFSA will be responsible for identifying and training judges for all IFSA/FWQ competitions in North America.

Will prize money continue to be offered at IFSA/FWQ Region 2 events?
Yes, prize money and other event promotion activities will be determined by hosting resorts and their sponsoring partners.

What are the goals of the IFSA and FWT alliance?
IFSA and FWTM will work together to expand the number of competitive freeride events available to freeskiers and snowboarders in Region 2. They will cooperate on judging standards, sponsors, event logistics, event series rankings, general communications, and strategic planning which will guide future collaboration and related activities.

Who owns and who operates the IFSA/FWQ events?
The IFSA operates primarily as a judging, ranking and sanctioning organization and while it organizes, promotes and operates a North American Adult Series, the actual events belong to its partner resorts.

How is the IFSA/FWQ series different than in years past?
While the overall series structure will remain the same, the nature and number of events will change. The IFSA is partnering with resorts and third-party event companies interested in executing sanctioned events with the intent of rapidly increasing the number of competitive 1-, 2-, 3- and 4-star FWQ events across North America.

Is there a long term Strategic Plan for the IFSA /FWT Alliance?
Yes. The organizations are developing a strategic plan that will include a vision statement, a governance model for collaboration between IFSA and FWT, and tactical plans associated with sanctioning, athlete advocacy, and event management.

Where can I find more information about the IFSA and FWT?
At the IFSA's website, http://www.freeskiers.org you can find information about our mission, our events and our history. To learn more about the FWT, you can check http://www.freerideworldtour.com.

immasThis is so cool! Thanks for taking the time to do this.

What's the most exciting thing about the Collegiate Big Mountain Tour, and what do you hope it will bring to the sport?

On a personal note, I'm really excited that collegiate athletes are seeing a lot of opportunity in skiing. I can't speak for every collegiate ski club or team, but I know a lot of people who are part of the CU Freestyle Ski Club. These guys were able to compete at in Italy at the world university games in Slopestyle last year and we are seeing the new opportunities in big-mountain events this year, so for me, it's great to see that it's not just alpine racing at the collegiate level.

I think that the collegiate tour will bring a new dimension to the sport. Obviously it allows JR athletes who competed at that level with the IFSA events to go to university and continue to compete while getting an education. So if you are a student at CU or at Western State or any other university that has a freeride/freestyle team, you can be part of it, get coaching and continue to develop as an athlete. That can only be good for those who are participating and good for the sport in general.

steezyjibberGood stuff. Any plans for the Collegiate Big Mountain Tour to ever come east?

Right now I'm not aware of any discussions in that regard. I would hope with the involvement of the folks at Ski The East and what they are doing out there that we would see some movement in that direction. The East has a rich history of collegiate skiing competitions and there are a lot of great athletes out there, so it would be fantastic to add an eastern collegiate event to the mix.

Let's keep our fingers crossed in that regard.

KrotchWhat goes in to deciding where an event will be held?

It's a mix of things.

First, there has to be some interest and institutional will from the host resort. What most people realize is that the guys in mountain ops have to be on board, especially with high-risk, high-reward venues. The patrol, snow safety and high-angle rescue people have to take ownership of the venue and the event, because they're the ones that are key.

Secondly, it has to make sense when it comes to the big picture. If a resort wants to do a 4* event, but doesn't have the terrain, there's no way that the FWT or the IFSA can back that.

Finally, and this is more on the FWT side of things, and not so much for IFSA JR events or FWQ events, there needs to be support when it comes to sponsorships, etc. That boils down to money as an FWT event is a fairly complex and expensive proposition to organize and run.

GrahamGouldWill the junior comps be affected in any way?
Will the IFSA collegiate tour be judged the same way as FWQ?

The biggest change for JR events is that the athletes now have a path to the elite FWT tour that is clear.

JR athletes will "graduate" from the IFSA JR system with FWQ points, which will allow them to build on their competition results from when they competed as JRs into the adult system.

The other way that JRs will be impacted - and this in my mind is a huge opportunity for those athletes - is that there will be a JR world championship event. The North American JR athletes who are selected to compete at the World Championships (base upon their results), will receive financial assistance to travel to the event from the FWT. YOu can learn more about the World JR Championships here: http://www.freerideworldtour.com/freeride-junior-world-championships-2015-Grandvalira.html

Judging standards for Region 2 are currently being discussed internally by the FWT and the IFSA. I'll talk about this a bit more in answering another question, but expect there to be a harmonious system all the way from JRs to 4* FWQ events in Region 2.

-SnowSnoli-Do you think they will bring a stop back to Canada/USA other than the Alaskan stop in 2016?

Such a shame to drop the Revelstoke stop just because of a couple of bad snow conditions.

I agree. Revelstoke is an amazing venue, and an amazing place. This year there will be a 4* FWQ event at Kicking Horse, so we will see how that goes.

For 2015-16 I would expect to see a second FWT stop in North America in addition to Haines. I don't know where that stop will be yet.

californiagrownif i still have my old college ID can i use use it to "illegally" enter a college comp?

LOL! Why not!

Actually, you won't have to.

The Collegiate tour will have some dedicated space reserved for collegiate athletes (the kids who are part of their school's freeride program and are competing in big-mountain events) and then the rest of the spots will be "open".

michaelhuddyskiWill there be a stop in Canada again for the FWT. It was such a shame that Revy was cancelled.

Agreed on Revy. Canada is definitely in the mix for a FWT stop in 2015-16. I would say that the consensus inside the FWT offices is that there should be 2 North American stops when it comes to the FWT schedule.

If Haines works out this year and becomes a fixture on the tour, then Canada would be a logical location for another FWT event. We will see what happens.

Mr.BishopCan you go over how big mountain contests are judged? Admittedly I'm a little lacking in knowledge of the matter.

Right now there are two systems that have been refined and that are in use.

There is the IFSA system, which awards points in categories for an overall score.

And then there is the FWT system, which is an "overall" impression score.

Judging is an issue for Region 2. Everyone else in the world will be using the FWT system, and that's the same system that we've been using at Taos for the last 6 years (Taos is the oldest FWQ event in the Americas).

The judging panel at the IFSA is wrestling with the issue right now for how things will be judged in the Americas, and it looks like they'll stick with their system.

On a personal level, I think that any event that's a FWQ event should be judged on the FWT standards. After all, if you are an athlete and your goal is to reach the elite FWT tour, then the events you are competing in should be run to the same standards as the FWT events are. It's not like snowboard halfpipe athletes have a one judging system for Olympic qualifiers and then a different judging system for the Olympics. That would be stupid.

Regardless, prior to becoming a 4* FWQ event, Taos used the IFSA system. So we know they both work, and that, usually, the best athletes do well regardless of the system. In that regard, its up to event organizers to make sure that whoever is doing the very difficult job of judging is very well trained and highly qualified. It's super important.

You can review the IFSA system here: http://www.freeskiers.org/judging.html

You can review the FWT system here: http://www.freerideworldtour.com/judging-system-132.html

Sharknuts.So stoked on all the collegiate tour talk! Do you see this tour ever merging with the NCAA or are there not enough colleges with big mountain venues to train on?

Great work with Independent Skier Mag!

Thanks for your props in regards to Independent Skier! (shamless promtional plug - you can download it for free via the Newsstand app for your iPod or iPad here: http://tinyurl.com/muuzuhp )

I think its really premature to talk about merging the Collegiate Tour with the NCAA. It's the first year of this tour, and right now most of the collegiate athletes who are competing or who will be competing are part of club sport programs. The programs would have to get recognition as a varsity level sports at enough colleges to get the NCAA to even consider taking on something like big-mountain athletes.

And then you have the fact that these are not revenue producing programs for the schools or the NCAA and the fact that maybe the athletes, particularly the ones who have ended up on a podium may have also pocketed a check would no longer be considered eligible to compete as NCAA athletes.

In other words, don't hold your breath when it comes to NCAA recognition of big-mountain skiing competitions. Halfpipe and slopestyle might be another story, and that's because they currently are part of the winter Olympics.

bob_doleI vote we get Barlow to answer a few of the questions as well. I just want to see him get angry and yell at people really.

Be nice.

lp.Have a few questions for ya!

Not sure if I heard this correctly but are the collegiate stops also FWQ 2*s? Is it a separate title awarded within a normal FWQ or is it only for college students?

Will there be more of these in coming seasons/ do you have to prove you are currently taking classes to participate?

Also is there a chance that other existing competitions like the Subaru Freeride Series will be FWQ's again?

Yes, the Collegiate Tour will award FWQ 2* points to athletes.

There will be a collegiate overall winner, the IFSA is organizing that.

You don't have to take classes, there will be a quota for athletes who are part of their collegiate freeride programs, and then registration will be open.

Here are full details: http://www.freeskiers.org/news/282-ifsa-to-launch-collegiate-freeride-series-for-2014-2015-season.html

Sharknuts.What's some advice you would give a young, up and coming FWT athlete who is looking to progress and compete with the big dawgs?

It's become a serious business.

The days of just being a ripping skier and showing up and scoring a podium are nearly over.

Most ski areas now have freeride teams, with coaching and training, including hitting the gym.

The same goes for collegiate clubs and freeride teams. They have strength training, coaching, etc.

If you want to do well, you're going to have to put in the work. Pre-season strength and conditioning, get after it.

And then get yourself in the park and pipe. You will need these skills, and you'll need to be able to take them to natural terrain and throw down. If you need to, get coaching and hit a place like Camp Woodward to develop this side of your skiing.

Finally, work hard and shoot for consistency. Podiums are great, but the point system also rewards year-long consistency. A bunch of top 10 or top 5 finishes over the course of the season may not bring you glory, but it will pay off when it comes to stepping up to the FWT. And that consistency will lead to podiums. You want to end staying on your feet at every event, pushing it just to your limit but not over. Take calculated risks. You don't want to beat yourself in an event by making mistakes. Let others do that.

Brocka_FlockaSickest thing you saw on the tour last year?

My work with the FWT as the Americas Manager is a new position for me, so I wasn't traveling on the tour last year.

However, a few years ago I was a judge on the FWT and I have to say that the finals in Verbier are crazy. The venue is insane, it's so intense and the crowds are huge. Candide was competing that season and he's just an amazing skier to watch in person. For me watching him in that big-mountain environment was really cool.

If you ever have the chance to see the Verbier stop, go do it.

SSchepkowskiAre the collegiate series for university and college students only?

Nope. But it helps.

Check it out: http://www.freeskiers.org/news/282-ifsa-to-launch-collegiate-freeride-series-for-2014-2015-season.html

OK everyone, that's it.

Thanks again for your questions and your interest in the FWT and what is going on in the Americas this year.

Remember that you can follow news, events, catch video highlights and more here: http://www.freerideworldtour.com/home.html

I'm also pretty good about posting information and updates on the Taos Freeride Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/taosfreeride

Finally, if you have a specific question or need help and can't get it answered at one of the links I've provided in this thread, please feel free to reach out to me personally and I'll do my best to get things sorted out.

Have a great winter!

heavywinterOK everyone, that's it.

Thanks again for your questions and your interest in the FWT and what is going on in the Americas this year.

Remember that you can follow news, events, catch video highlights and more here: http://www.freerideworldtour.com/home.html

I'm also pretty good about posting information and updates on the Taos Freeride Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/taosfreeride

Finally, if you have a specific question or need help and can't get it answered at one of the links I've provided in this thread, please feel free to reach out to me personally and I'll do my best to get things sorted out.

Have a great winter!

Man, thanks so much for doing this! Definitely super cool.