Natural Selection Tour , the world's premier backcountry freestyle competition will hold its ski category, Natural Selection Ski
This sport, which involves skiing on natural terrain rather than artificially maintained parks, can be considered the most authentic and evolved form of skiing today. Originally starting as a snowboarding-only sport, it was founded by Travis Rice
▼The top 5 male skaters from last year
The difference between this competition and the FWT, which also takes place in nature, lies in the fact that participants are invited, and that the style of the skater and the "showmanship" aspect, including visual presentation, are given greater importance
In the qualifying rounds (Super Sessions) held in March in Palisades Tahoe, California, one male and one female contestant advanced to the main competition from a pool of four male and four female contestants
▼Scenes from the qualifying round
With creativity, style, and the ability to make the most of nature being the judging criteria, the qualifiers were won by Hannah Epstein (USA), the youngest competitor in the tournament and last year's FWT Junior Champion, and Jonah Williams (USA), a skilled skier who brings freestyle techniques to big mountain skiing
In the final, invited athletes selected by a judging panel comprised of top skiers such as Candide Tovex, Chris Benchettler, and Sammy Carlson will also participate, resulting in a session with 8 men and 4 women. Here too, creativity, risk-taking, execution, difficulty, and the overall flow of the run will be comprehensively evaluated
With cutting-edge filming techniques such as high-speed drones, the event also has a strong cinematic aspect, offering an immersive experience that makes you feel as if you're skating right there. The Alaska finals Red Bull TV . Don't miss this all-star competition on the world's most prestigious stage.
Get yourself in the mood by checking out the majestic and artistic natural scenery of Alaska, the setting for this project, as captured by photographer Chad Chomlack, as well as the atmosphere of the location