Athletes announced for the FIS Freeride World Championships Andorra 2026 by Mammut

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The roster is complete: 14 NSA Quota Riders and 5 Wildcards announced for the FIS Freeride World Championships Andorra 2026 by Mammut. The Group 3, Group 4 and Group 5 selections bring the athlete roster to 66 out of 66 ahead of freeride’s historic World Championship debut in Andorra.

FWT25 Georgia DDaher 7949 1024x683 - Athletes announced for the FIS Freeride World Championships Andorra 2026 by Mammut
  • 14 riders qualified through NSA quotas (Group 3), allocated to nations with no qualified
    athletes in Groups 1 & 2
  • Group 3 quotas were distributed based on the Nations Ranking, with each NSA
    selecting one eligible athlete per competition
  • 4 wildcard entries (Group 4) were granted by FIS Freeride (one per competition) for
    media, injury, or national interest reasons
  • 1 host nation wildcard (Group 5) was granted by the Andorran Ski Federation (FAE)

The lineup is complete for the first-ever FIS Freeride World Championships, set to take place in Andorra, in February 2026. Earlier this year, 47 riders earned their spots through Groups 1 and 2, based on FWT Pro Rankings and Continental quotas. With the announcement of Group 3 NSA Quota Riders, Group 4 Wildcards and Group 5 Host Nation Wildcard, the roster now includes 66 of the 66 total athletes who will compete for World Champion titles.

The FIS Freeride World Championships, launching in 2026 under the International Ski and Snowboard
Federation (FIS), represent the pinnacle of freeride snowboarding competition. Unlike the
FIS Freeride World Tour by Peak Performance, which functions as a season-long circuit, the World
Championships will crown official FIS Freeride World Champions in a single-event format. The
inaugural edition will run from February 1–6, 2026, bringing the world’s top freeriders to the renowned
and challenging terrain of Ordino Arcalís in the Pyrenees.

Groups 1 & 2 – FWT Pro Rankings and Continental Quotas
The first wave of qualified athletes for the 2026 FIS Freeride World Championships was determined
through Groups 1 and 2, representing the top freeriders from the 2025 FWT season and the highest-
ranked athletes from each continent.

Group 1 – FWT Pro Ranking:
The top-ranked riders from the 2025 FIS Freeride World Tour Pro standings earned direct qualification
for the World Championships. All Group 1 athletes meet the official FIS eligibility criteria and were
invited by FIS following the conclusion of the 2025 season. Should any athlete be unable to
participate, their National Ski Association (NSA) is responsible for selecting a replacement within the
same competition category.

Group 1 – Qualified riders:
Snowboard Men:
 Liam Rivera (SUI)
 Jonathan Penfield (CAN)
 Enzo Nilo (FRA)
 Victor de Le Rue (FRA)
 Holden Samuels (USA)
 Cody Bramwell (GBR)
Snowboard Women:
 Noémie Equy (FRA)
 Michaela Davis-Meehan (AUS)
 Núria Castán Barón (ESP)

Group 2 – Continental Quotas:
To ensure global representation, five continental quotas (Asia, Europe, North America, Oceania, and
South America) were added to the start list. Each quota was awarded to the highest-ranked rider on
the Qualifying Global Seeding List, excluding injured athletes with frozen points. All Group 2 athletes were personally allocated by FIS, in communication with their respective NSAs, which also oversee
potential replacements if necessary.

Group 2 – Qualified riders:
Snowboard Men:
 Cesar Barin (FRA)
 Asato Yoshida (JPN)
 Conrad Niven (NZL)
 Michael Mawn (USA)
 Tomas Castelli (ARG)
Snowboard Women:
 Anna Martinez (FRA)
 Hana Kinoshita (JPN)
 Briony Johnson (AUS)
 Natalie Allport (CAN)
 Isidora Assler Escala (CHI)

Together, Groups 1 and 2 account for 47 athletes, forming the core of the roster and representing the
very best of the 2025 freeride season worldwide.

Group 3 – NSA Quotas: broadening global representation
14 riders have earned their place via National Ski Association (NSA) quotas, granted to countries that
do not already have qualified athletes from Groups 1 and 2. These quotas
were distributed based on a Nations Ranking, calculated using international results from the top 100
athletes in each discipline.

Each eligible NSA was invited to nominate one rider, who must meet FIS Freeride eligibility criteria.
This system ensures increased global representation while maintaining the competition’s elite
standards.

Group 3 – Qualified riders:
Snowboard Men:
 Vaughn Hardwick (AUS)
 Timm Schröder (GER)
 Pol Sabidó Juvé (SPA)
Snowboard Women:
 Mia Jones (USA)

Group 4 – Wildcards: four athletes added to the lineup

Alongside the NSA Quota Riders, four wildcard athletes (one per discipline) have been awarded a
place at the 2026 FIS Freeride World Championships. These Group 4 Wildcards are allocated directly
by FIS Freeride to address needs such as injuries, media visibility, or national interest.
FIS Freeride confirmed the allocation of four wildcards, awarded to the following athletes:

Snowboard Men:
 Blake Moller (USA)
Snowboard Women:
 Marion Haerty (FRA)

All wildcard athletes must be members of a National Ski Association, and in the event of a withdrawal,
FIS Freeride will designate a replacement, potentially from another nation.

About the FIS Freeride World Championships Andorra 2026 by Mammut
 Date: Weather window February 1–6, 2026, with one competition day selected for optimal
conditions
 Location: Ordino Arcalís, Andorra, a renowned freeride venue in the Pyrenees
 Format: Four competitions: Ski Men, Ski Women, Snowboard Men, Snowboard Women / one
run per athlete
 Total athletes: 66 riders will compete

This landmark event marks the official integration of freeride skiing and snowboarding under the
governance of the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS), establishing freeride as a
globally recognized discipline.

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