the verbier ride 2007 - 18-19 February

The Verbier Ride 07 is running this year on the 18-19 February.  The events kick off this Sunday 18 February with some of Europe's top freestyle skiers arriving in the resort of Verbier, Switzerland to compete in a Pro/Am Rail Jam and Big Air competition.

The two days of competition will see European freestlye talent on show to the specators in the resort of Verbier and to the millions that will watch the TV broadcast and website video footage.  Athletes will be battling it out for the €5,000 cash purse and the global media exposure to promote the sponsors that support them as freeskiing athletes.  To watch the action live make your way to the La Chaux ski area in Verbier where you will find the Televerbier's 1936 Neipark.

The 1936 Neipark is set to be shaped to near perfection with world renound park shaper Nico Mardu constructing the Rails and the huge Big Air kicker.  With the new snow that's just hit Verbier it is set to be an awesome event on the mountain as well as in the resort.  Remember that it's Mardi Gras week in town so bring your fancy dress and party hard with the athletes who will be throwing it down for your pleasure!

EVENT SCHEDULE  -  Big Air + Rail Jam
For the up to date event schedule for Verbier Ride 07 please check the event website. Please be aware that this schedule could change due to weather conditions, so checking in on a daily basis is a good idea.  Schedule will be updated each night from the 17 February. The current event schedule is as follows:

18 FEBRUARY
- 9am – 9.30am    Riders Meeting + Inscription @ Hotel Farinet in Verbier's Place Central
- 10.30am – 12.30pm   Big Air and Rail Jam practice sessions @ La Chaux Freestyle park
                                   + Filming and Photography session for 24 minute TV programme
- 12.30am – 2.30pm  Rail Jam competition @ La Chaux Freestyle park
- 3pm – 3.15pm   Rail Jam Prize giving @ La Chaux Freestyle park
- 8pm - 1am    Riders + Press + Event Team welcome drinks at the Hotel Farinet

19 FEBRUARY
- 9am – 11am   Big Air practice session @ La Chaux Freestyle park
- 11am – 12.30pm   Big Air Qualification @ La Chaux Freestyle park
- 12.30pm – 1.30pm   Big Air Quarter Finals @ La Chaux Freestyle park

- 1.30pm - 2.30pm   Big Air Semi Finals @ La Chaux Freestyle park
- 2.30pm - 3pm   Big Air Finals @ La Chaux Freestyle park
- 3pm - 3.15pm   Big Air Prize Giving @ La Chaux Freestyle park
- 9pm - 10pm   Verbier Ride action highlights from Harold's Cyber Café BIG SCREEN

20 FEBRUARY
- 9am -12pm   Bad Weather Day

22 FEBRUARY
- 9pm -1am   Ride Freesport and Natives present the Love Show Tour post event party at the Pub Mont Fort on Thursday 22 February from 9pm to 1am. See the first preview viewing of the TV news highlights from Sunday and Monday's event action

Get along to the Natives party night
SO, with immaculate timing, the Natives Show Love Tour is heading to Verbier to join up with Tour partner the Verbier Ride to celebrate the conclusion of the Verbier Ride 2007. Get along to Pub Montfort on Thursday night for the chance to mix with some of the world's best freeskiers, win loads of Show Love freebies from Natives, get a free bottle of Coors Fine Light beer and can of Extreme and down a load of Pub Montfort's dreaded, but oh-so-desirable cocktails. [See last year's party report here]


RIDE FREESPORT MEDIA  -  Watch the Ride Freesport event series online
Several hours of TV footage from the Ride Freesport events are available to view in real time by clicking on the following link: www.verbierride.com/action/videos.html

Here you will find the full length 24 minute TV programmes from 2003, 2004, 2005 and 2006 events.  You will also see the TV news highlight clips which vary from 2 minutes to 14 minutes.  Action from Verbier Ride 07 will be available on this page soon after the event

BIG MOUNTAIN HELI RIDE 07 - Re-Scheduled for winter 2008
Due to the lack of snow this winter so far in Europe, the 2nd stop of IFSA World Freeskiing Tour, the Big Mountain Heli Ride 07, has been re-scheduled for Winter 2008. The decision had to be taken early enough for the North American riders not to be unfairly penalised over travel costs, etc & with no prospect of sufficient accumulation arriving in time, the competition had to be cancelled this year.

The Big Mountain Heli Ride is the newly formed event that is the 2nd stop of the elite IFSA 2007 FREESKIING WORLD TOUR. Last year the event (formerly the Verbier Ride), brought Switzerland its first ever IFSA Freeskiing World Tour event making Swiss freeskiing history. In 2008, the Big Mountain Heli Ride will see some of the World's best freeskiers being dropped from Helicopters on some awe inspiring faces. Ride Freesport is making history by creating the first ever heli-ski big mountain event in Europe as part of the IFSA Tour.

Meanwhile the Ride Freesport team will be putting together some of the unseen footage of last years comp on the Big Mountain Heliride website. We will keep you posted on the dates for next years event.

LES ARCS FREERIDE - follows on from Verbier Ride
Disappointingly, the poor snow conditions have affected the other European Stop on the IFSA World Freeskiing Tour, the Les Arcs Freeride. This has also been cancelled for this year - for more information on go to www.ridelife.com. Let's hope for the sake of European Freeskiing that both of these events get to resume their rightful place as world-leading Big Mountain Freeskiing events.

BIG THANK YOU - To all the sponsors of the Verbier Ride 07
Verbier Ride is now in it's 7th year and growing with global recognition as are the other Ride Freesport events.  The growth of Ride Freesport would not be possible without the continued support of the following organisations:

- Televerbier (www.televerbier.ch) - For offering the services of one of the world's premiere ski areas
- Verbier (www.verbier.ch) - For hosting our event in one of the most prestigious resorts in the world
- Snow + Rock (www.snowandrock.com) - For supporting freeskiing and Ride Freesport events from the beginning
- Faction Ski (www.factionskis.com) - For supporting freeskiing and giving up and coming riders a chance
- Farinet / Casbah (www.hotelfarinet.com) - For hosting the riders party and welcoming them to Verbier
- Ski Service (www.skiservice.com) - For maintaining the pro athletes skis, boots and bindings whilst in resort
- 20 Minutes (www.20min.ch) - For promoting freeskiing and giving the riders mainstream exposure

Our partners are essential to the events existence and we also send you a massive thanks:

Natives.co.uk, Ski Club of Great Britain, Dark Summer, Ifyouski.com, Eurosport, 30 Degrees, Peak Ski, Pub Mont Fort, Harold's, Ski Pass.com.

[STOP PRESS: you can read about the Verbier Ride 2006 in our Natives 2006 event report and check out the pic's from the Show Love Tour & Ride Freesports Big Mountain party]