Watch the replay of Asia's first ever Freeride World Qualifier event in Hakuba, Japan!

From the Freeride World Tour website:

“Witness history in the making as the Japanese resort welcomes the inaugural event in less than a week!

The FWQ’s historical first-ever competition on the Asian continent is bringing the sport of competitive freeride to the legendary deep snows of Hakuba, Japan.

The groundbreaking event, scheduled to take place on January 13, 2017, will host FWQ skiers and snowboarders vying for victory in the international qualification league. Local Japanese riders will complement a diverse field of competitors from the Americas, Europe, and Oceania.

“The terrain and riding conditions found in Japan are unique due to the way deep snowfall blankets complex terrain, offering riders a variety of steep features with soft landings.”

A variety of freeride-oriented festivities, including the official bib draw and prize giving ceremony, are scheduled to take place in the event village which is open to the public during the competition window from the 12-18th of January. On competition day, a spectator area on Happo San Mountain will allow freeride fans to witness the competition action taking place at “The Mix” venue.

The Mix is situated at an elevation of 1950m and features a vertical drop of 900m at an average steepness of 40 degrees. The terrain and riding conditions found in Japan are unique due to the way deep snowfall blankets complex terrain, offering riders a variety of steep features with soft landings.

Situated in the Japanese Alps, Hakuba has a long history of freeride combined with a reputation for abundant snowfall (up to eleven meters annually) in the surrounding peaks, offering ideal freeriding conditions. The region, which welcomed the Winter Olympic Games in 1998, is a premier destination for winter sports.

The FWQ 4* event will be preceded by a FWQ 2* event on January 11, 2017, for riders hoping to qualify for the 4* event and eventually earn points on their pathway to qualify for the elite Swatch Freeride World Tour (FWT).”