This year the organizers of the Austrian Freeride World Qualifier events agreed on a common rating. They decided to centralize the two existing ratings of the OPEN FACES FREERIDE SERIES and AUSTRIAN FREERIDE SERIES, to the one of the AUSTRIAN FREERIDE SERIES.

 

The AFS are including all Austrian FWQ events, the six OPEN FACES FREERIDE CONTESTS, the renowned X OVER RIDE KITZSTEINHORN (3*), the BIG MOUNTAIN HOCHFUEGEN (4*) and the BIG MOUNTAIN GOLDECK (2*) as well as the PITZTAl WILD FACE (2*). As a national series of the Freeride World Tour Qualifier the AFS crowns those Austrian snowboarders and freeskiers who could reach the highest number of points in the ten contests of the country to the Austrian freeride champ.

 

 

10 out of the 50 FWQ competitions around the world will be held in Austria, so the riders have more opportunities than ever before, to fight for one slot for the FWT 2015. Offshoot of the successful concept of the AUSTRIAN FREERIDE SERIES, which started last year, can now be found in Switzerland and France, declared FWQ organizer and FWT head judge Berti Denervaud,

 

‘While the FWT events are the top of the pyramid the FWQ-one-star up to the FWQ-four-star events build their foundation. Only the world’s best three male skiers and two male snowboarders as well as two female skiers and only one female snowboarder qualify for the FWT 2015 by the end of the season. With the AUSTRIAN FREERIDE SERIES, Austria not only acts as a pioneer but also creates an important basis for the freeride sport.’

 

With the AUSTRIAN FREERIDE SERIES the Austrian qualifier organizers work closer together than ever and founded an organizer board that makes the decisions concerning the series in coordination with the riders. Similar to the Freeride World Tour, the Austrian freerider have their representative in the AFS-OC.

 

One first decision is already made. The board decided that the spots for a FWQ* will not be assigned according to the current seeding list but according to the first-come-first-serve-principal. The FWQ* contests should help no point-rider to get into the freeride scene or to collect points for 2-star and 3-star qualifier competitions. As part of the AFS, the two contests OPEN FACES UTTENDORF-WEISSEE and OPEN FACES HOCHKOENIG are considered as such beginners competitions.

 

In FWQ** and FWQ*** the spots will be assigned according to the current seeding list. The more points the rider has, the sooner he/she gets a spot.

 

The Austrian champions will be crowned on March 29th 2014, after 10 stops in Tyrol, Salzburg, Carinthia and Vorarlberg at the last AUSTRIAN FREERIDE SERIES Contest the OPEN FACES OBERGURGL-HOCHGURGL.

 

AUSTRIAN FREERIDE SERIES 2014:

 

February 1st 2014 - 1* OPEN FACES HOCHKOENIG

February 8th 2014 - 4**** BIG MOUNTAIN HOCHFUEGEN

February 16th 2014 - 3***OPEN FACES AXAMER LIZUM

February 22nd 2014 - 2** OPEN FACES KAPPL-PAZNAUN

February 22nd 2014 - 2** BIG MOUNTAIN GOLDECK

February 28th and March 1st 2014 - 2** PITZTAL WILDFACE

March 9th 2014 - 1* OPEN FACES UTTENDORF-WEISSEE GLETSCHERWELT

March 15th 2014 - 3*** OPEN FACES SILVRETTA MONTAFON

March 22nd 2014 - 3*** X OVER RIDE KITZSTEINHORN

March 29th 2014 - 4**** OPEN FACES OBERGURGL-HOCHGURGL