Freeride poised for 2030 Winter Olympics inclusion

Freeride is on the cusp of becoming an official additional sport for the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps, with CEO of the Freeride World Tour, Nicolas Hale-Woods, expressing extreme confidence. "It's 99.9% certain," Hale-Woods stated in an interview with Le Figaro. He cited extensive positive exchanges with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), the International Ski Federation (FIS), and the 2030 Organizing Committee (COJO) as the basis for his optimism.

While awaiting the official confirmation, which is anticipated in the first half of July alongside the full Olympic program announcement, Hale-Woods described the potential inclusion as "a dream" and "the perfect moment." He believes freeride has long deserved a place in the Games, drawing parallels to the successful integration of sports like surfing and climbing in the summer Olympics and slopestyle in previous winter editions. This move signifies a potential validation for the discipline after years of advocacy.

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It is 99.9%. Even if I do not yet have the official confirmation, I am very optimistic due to the exchanges I have had with the IOC, the FIS and the COJO.

The prospect of Olympic inclusion is seen as a significant consecration for freeride. Hale-Woods conveyed a mix of relief and pride, emphasizing the conviction that freeride's place in the Olympics was inevitable. The journey has been long, but the recent developments suggest a culmination of efforts to bring the sport to the world's biggest stage. The excitement is palpable as the freeride community anticipates what promises to be "four exciting years" leading up to the 2030 Games.

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It's a bit of everything, in the sense that we have long been convinced that freeride has its place in the Games.