THE WORLD ROOKIE TOUR WINTER SEASON IS ON

A global journey across snowboard and freeski, from urban rail to the biggest Finals stage, live streamed worldwide… The Black Yeti is back on the road.

And this winter, the journey is bigger, wider, and more demanding than ever.For the 2025/26 winter season, the World Rookie Tour returns with snowboard and freeski at its core, expanding the playground across Slopestyle, Big Air and Rail. From snowparks to urban setups, from mountains to cities, the tour connects different riding languages into one global pathway.

Across Europe, Asia and America, the World Rookie Tour will involve more than 1,000 riders throughout the season. Different countries, different cultures, different styles, but the same age, the same mindset, the same goal. Moving this many young riders around the world is not just about competition. It’s about building the next generation of freestyle snow sports.The season kicked off with the first urban rail events right in the heart of the city, held in conjunction with our long-standing partner Rock A Rail.

The opening stop took place in Latvia, where snowboard riders officially launched the winter season by bringing freestyle snow sports into an urban environment.

From there, the urban rail chapter moved to the Netherlands, with The Hague hosting the World Rookie Fest The Hague. On December 21, the event will represent the urban rail Grand Final, closing the most street-inspired phase of the World Rookie Tour winter season on the iconic Rock A Rail setup.

Then comes January, a month that is almost entirely snowboard-oriented.
The year opens with the first snowboard stop in Austria – Groms Open Rookie Fest – followed by a mid-January journey north to Finland, where winter conditions speak for themselves. Toward the end of the month, the tour arrives in Italy, in Madonna di Campiglio, replacing Livigno, which is fully engaged with preparations for the upcoming Winter Olympics and Paralympics. Almost all snowboards, but not completely.

February pushes the intensity even further.
The tour moves through Poland and Bulgaria, then heads to Germany, where Ogau hosts both snowboard and freeski. From there, the Black Yeti travels to Innsbruck, Austria, just above the city: a historic freeski stop that now officially opens its doors to snowboarders as well.Next comes Slovakia, offering a double-discipline competition, before closing the month with a snowboard-only event in Hungary. Between February and the Finals, riders still have more chances to qualify. Additional qualification events will take place in Romania, USA, Switzerland, Japan and France for snowboard. Different routes. Same destination.

Because everything leads to the World Rookie Finals.And the Finals are not just another contest.They are where rankings reset.
Where pressure replaces points.
Where the best rookies from all over the world finally meet on the same stage.