Freeride World Tour returns to Snowbird for 2027 finals, first Utah stop since 2014

SNOWBIRD, Utah — The Freeride World Tour will return to Snowbird in March 2027 for the first of its two season finals, Snowbird Resort, the FWT and U.S. Ski & Snowboard announced Thursday. The YETI Snowbird Pro presented by Stifel is scheduled for March 16-22, 2027.

Snowbird last hosted an FWT stop in 2014. The 2027 event falls in the Tour’s 20th season, a six-stop calendar that includes two finals. Mount Baldy will host the competition, and spectators will be able to watch from the base of Baldy, according to the FWT.

The event comes as freeride prepares for its Olympic debut. The International Olympic Committee approved men’s and women’s freeride events for the 2030 French Alps Winter Games in July. Utah hosts the Winter Olympics in 2034, and freeride will be under consideration for that program, though the IOC will make the call closer to the Games and no Utah venue has been assigned. Under the current 2034 venue plan, Park City Mountain hosts halfpipe and slopestyle, Deer Valley hosts moguls and aerials, and Snowbasin hosts alpine skiing.

YETI Snowbird Pro presented by Stifel

Fifty-three riders will compete in four regular-season events in Spain, France, Georgia and Austria. Each athlete’s best three results count, and the top 60 percent of the field advances past “The Cut” at Fieberbrunn, Austria, to the finals at Snowbird and Verbier, Switzerland, where four FWT champions will be crowned.

Snowbird’s freeride competition history dates to 1998, the FWT said. The resort hosts several International Free Skiers Association events each season, some of which serve as FWT qualifiers, and its athlete team includes three current FWT competitors: skiers Ross Tester and Hannah Baldwin and snowboarder Holden Samuels.

FWT CEO and founder Nicolas Hale-Woods said in the release that Snowbird’s terrain, community and event expertise had made it one of the sport’s key destinations. Snowbird President and General Manager Dave Fields said the resort was thrilled to welcome the Tour back. U.S. Ski & Snowboard President and CEO Sophie Goldschmidt called 2026 a landmark year for freeride at the organization and said it was proud to help bring the Tour back to Utah.

The 2027 FWT calendar

• Baqueira Beret Pro by Occident, Spain: Jan. 16-17
• Val Thorens Pro, France: Jan. 25-26
• Georgia Pro, Mestia: Feb. 20-21
• Fieberbrunn Pro, Austria: March 3-9
• YETI Snowbird Pro by Stifel, Utah: March 16-22
• YETI Xtreme Verbier by Honda, Switzerland: March 27-28

Steep lines to the Olympic spotlight: Freeride headed to the Winter Games