As the Freeride World Tour (FWT) gets down to the business end of the season this weekend, New Zealand skiers Charlie Lyons and Sam Smoothy find themselves with two very different perspectives on the upcoming competition.
Stop #5 of FWT kicks off on Saturday 16 March at 8.30am (8.30pm NZT) in Fieberbrunn Pillerseetal, Austria and is the last competition before the finals cut for the Verbier Xtreme, the final stop of the FWT. Only the top 12 placed skiers on overall rankings will progress.
Charlie Lyons, who has made his FWT debut this season, sits in fourth place on tour rankings, assured that what ever happens in Austria his Verbier spot is in the bag.
"It's a good feeling knowing what happens tomorrow I do not have to worry about skiing to a certain placing as I have a spot in the 12 guaranteed," says Lyons.
For seasoned pro, Sam Smoothy, however, the road to Verbier has been a little troubled. Smoothy, who last year achieved three FWT podiums including a win in Chamonix, currently sits in 18th place on tour rankings.
Watch the livestream from 8.30pm (NZT) on Saturday 16 March at www.freerideworldtour.com
12 years ago
Freeride World Tour