Freeride skiing and snowboarding added to 2030 Winter Olympics program

Freeride skiing and snowboarding will debut at the 2030 Winter Olympics in the French Alps, following the recent addition of ski mountaineering to the Milan-Cortina Games. The International Olympic Committee's decision welcomes athletes who compete in this beautiful yet perilous discipline, which takes place off-piste without a marked course.

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For a long time, I couldn't even mentally contemplate the possibility of being in the Olympic Games; the dream was to participate in the world circuit.

Spanish freeride stars like Núria Castan, a bronze medalist at the world championships, and Aymar Navarro, a pioneer in Spanish freeride and now national team selector, view the Olympic inclusion as a major turning point. "It was a moment I never thought would arrive, and I still have to process the idea," Castan told EL PAÍS. Navarro added that the visibility of the Games will significantly aid the sport's growth, improving opportunities for young athletes in terms of scholarships, education, training, and sponsorships.

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It was a moment I never thought would arrive, and I still have to process the idea. For the sport, it will be a turning point, as the visibility of the Games is immense and will facilitate its growth, as well as the path for young people in terms of scholarships, studies, preparation, and sponsors.

The Real Federación Española de Deportes de Invierno (RFEDI) has actively promoted freeride for the past three years, mirroring the success of ski mountaineering, which saw Spanish athletes win medals in Italy. "We have great names performing well today, so the potential is clearly there and more than proven," said a Spanish coach. Despite Spain not being widely associated with snow sports, the country boasts a strong mountain culture, exceptional freeride terrain, and a well-established community, according to Nicolas Hale-Woods, CEO of the Freeride World Tour.

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They are a good mirror to look at, and today we have great names who are performing well, so the potential is there and more than proven.

The inclusion is the culmination of over three decades of the sport's evolution, boosted by the successful Olympic debuts of surfing and skateboarding, the IOC's desire to attract younger audiences, and the recent hosting of the first world championship in Andorra. The Freeride World Tour, now under the FIS umbrella, hosts over 300 competitions with 11,000 licensed riders from 70 nationalities.

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Many people do not associate Spain with snow sports, but there is a very strong mountain culture, extraordinary terrain for freeride, and a very consolidated community.