| Freeride World Tour announces new three-year partnership with Swatch and a new global Freeride rankings system Verbier, SUI – 22nd December 2011 With typical Swiss precision and impeccable timing, Swatch has signed a new three-year deal to become title partner of the Freeride World Tour. In a ground-breaking deal that will ensure six elite level Freeride events over the 2012, 2013 and 2014 seasons, Swatch confirms its commitment to the thriving action sports sector. Swatch President Arlette-Elsa Emch says: "A passion for sport is one of the long-established pillars of the Swatch ethos. With this in mind, we are extremely proud to confirm our support of and commitment to the Freeride World Tour, as its title partner. During the next three years, working alongside the Freeride World Tour, Swatch wishes to build upon the existing excitement surrounding Action sports by increasing and promoting its significance globally, in order to enrich the experience of those participating in and those watching these amazing events."
The 2012 Swatch Freeride World Tour season will now see events in Revelstoke (Canada) and Courmayeur-Mont-Blanc (Italy) adding to the already confirmed stops in Chamonix-Mont-Blanc, Røldal, Fieberbrunn and Verbier.
The Revelstoke event will also mark the next step in a rapidly evolving partnership between the Freeride World Tour organisers and American Freeskiing and Freeriding organiser Mountain Sports International (MSI). This evolution will include a co-organised event and a new global ranking system in which all results from the new Swatch Freeride World Tour, Freeride World Qualifiers, The North Face Masters of Snowboarding and Subaru Freeskiing World Tour will be included. 
Freeride World Tour founder, Nicolas Hale-Woods says: "With strong support from Swatch, the 2012 season will be the next step in globalising the sport. We're really pleased to have a new event in Courmayeur-Mont -Blanc which presents us with a superb range of Freeride competition options and we're working ever closer with MSI to further align our events and activities in 2013." MSI founder and CEO Adam Comey says: "Combining the Freeskiing and Freeride competitions structures in the Americas with those in Europe is inevitable and we will continue to discuss and work together in order to create a common platform for riders and fans alike." Revelstoke Mountain Resort Chief Operating Officer, Rod Kessler says: "Although Revelstoke Mountain Resort is expanding into the family market, our heart and soul is big mountain skiing and riding. The combination of the Swatch Freeride World Tour and the Subaru Freeskiing World Tour marks a historic event amongst the Snow Sports industry. Revelstoke Mountain Resort and the Revelstoke Accommodation Association is excited to host the world's top big mountain ski and snowboard athletes in January 2012. Our goal is to deliver an unforgettable experience to both athletes and guests alike, while showcasing Revelstoke's unparalleled terrain, snow conditions, and hospitality." Gioachino Gobbi, president of the of the Courmayeur-Mont-Blanc Funivie says: "We are honored to host a stop of the Freeride World Tour, giving a chance to all Freeride lovers to see the best athletes in the world competing on our grounds! I would like to underline that all this is possible thanks to a joint operation and collaboration between Società delle Funivie, the association of hoteliers, the association of high mountain guides, the town of Courmayeur and the Regional regency of Valle d'Aosta." |