After two stops in Switzerland and Canada, the Freeride World Tour by Peak Performance the inaugural Georgia Pro in the great heights of the Georgian Caucasus Mountains is ready to go.
Competition has been moved forward to this Thursday, as the weather is predicted to worsen from Friday. However, the conditions currently have all the right ingredients for an epic event: the Tetnuldi resort recently received 30 cm of fresh snow over a consistent snowpack, with sunshine and stable temperatures forecast this week.
FWT organizers are therefore keen to take advantage of these classic conditions and get the event underway earlier than the proposed waiting period.
The event will take place at the high alpine resort of Tetnuldi, which offers over 900 vertical meters of lift-access skiing, topping out at over 3,100 meters. The resort is a stone’s throw from the picturesque town of Mestia, nestled high in the Georgian Caucasus Mountains in the Svaneti region. This area has emerged as a true freeride heaven, with seemingly endless off-piste opportunities rivaling some of the better-known destinations around the world. This has attracted Qualifier events here over the past two seasons, as well as an increasing number of backcountry enthusiasts. The growing popularity of snow sports in Georgia has solidified its position on the global freeride map, making it one of the six countries that host a Freeride World Tour Pro event in 2024.
The competition will take place on Kakhiani, the second-highest mountain on the Gvalda Range, which towers over the town of Mestia. Riders will descend the north-northwest face – starting at 3,150 m and finishing at 2,830 m – which has an average gradient of 37° and some sections up to 55°. This location is perfect for freeriding, with steep terrain and unique features, making it a thrilling and challenging setting for the event.
The Georgia Pro – like all FWT events – will be broadcast LIVE at www.freerideworldtour.com
The Freeride World Tour (FWT) is the premier big mountain freeskiing and snowboarding tour in the world, featuring the sport’s top athletes competing in the world’s best mountain resorts. Created in 2008, the FWT became even more global in 2012 following the union of the North American-based Freeskiing World Tour, The North Face Masters of Snowboarding, and the European-based Swatch Freeride World Tour.
FWT Management SA, based in Verbier-Switzerland, has been organizing world-class sports events in mountain resorts and regions since 1996. Founder of “Verbier Xtreme”, an iconic event in freeride skiing & snowboarding, FWT Management SA, has taken in 2008 this stand-alone event to create several series of international freeride competitions totaling over 200 events around the globe for professional, amateur, and junior riders and 6,000 licensed riders.
FWT Management SA is the organizer of the following Series: Freeride World Tour (FWT), Challenger, Qualifier, and Junior events taking place in Europe, North America, South America, Asia, and Oceania.
