Freeride is officially Olympic, debuting in the Alpes 2030

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Freeride will make its Olympic sport debut in 2030

Published: Jul. 8, 2026

Content

1 What is freeride and why is it being added to the Games now?

2 Baqueira Beret and the Significance of Spanish Freeriding

3 What the 2030 Alpine Games Will Be Like

4 The Pyrenees: A springboard to the Alps 2030

Freeride will be an Olympic sport. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has confirmed the inclusion of freeride skiing and snowboarding in the program for the Winter Olympic Games to be held in the French Alps in 2030, marking the first time a discipline practiced entirely in natural terrain has been included in the Winter Olympic calendar. The Games will be held in the Alps, but Spain has a solid foundation thanks to the freeride scene thriving in the Pyrenees, with Baqueira Beret at its epicenter.

Rider de freeride saltando una línea de roca y nieve durante el Freeride World Tour

A rider in the middle of a descent during a Freeride World Tour event.

According to the details released so far, freeride will feature four events with a 50-50 quota: 22 men and 22 women. The IOC has approved the discipline’s inclusion, but the fine print now rests with the International Ski and Snowboard Federation (FIS), which will need to define the qualification system, athlete criteria, competition schedule, and even the exact number of events in the coming years.

What is freeride and why is it being added to the Games now?

Freeride involves descending ungroomed slopes outside of prepared trails, with judges evaluating the chosen line, control, fluidity, and jumps over virgin snow. Its premier showcase is the Freeride World Tour, a circuit with more than 10,000 licensed riders and over 300 annual competitions spread across four continents, with categories ranging from junior to elite.

The discipline has deep roots. Its origins are generally traced back to 1996 with the legendary Xtreme event in Verbier, Switzerland—the seed from which the current Freeride World Tour grew. From there, it spread to Alpine meccas like Chamonix, considered the global cradle of extreme skiing. Three decades later, the transition to the Olympics comes at a time of rapid expansion, and the Pyrenees have put themselves on the map: in 2026, the first FIS Freeride World Championships were held in Ordino Arcalís, Andorra.

Baqueira Beret and the Significance of Spanish Freeriding

The fact that the Games are held in the Alps does not diminish the Pyrenees’ prominence: it is right here where Spain’s prospects are forged. Baqueira Beret has been part of the Freeride World Tour calendar since 2022 and is now a global benchmark for the discipline. The Val d’Aran resort combines expansive terrain, challenging elevation changes, and snow conditions that have made it a natural setting for major freeride events and a training ground for the country’s top riders.

Zona de salida del Freeride World Tour en Baqueira Beret, en la Val d'Aran, con los picos del Pirineo al fondo

The starting point of the Freeride World Tour in Baqueira Beret, in the heart of the Val d'Aran.

Spain’s potential is no less impressive. Around 590 Spanish riders compete within the Freeride World Tour, and several stand a good chance of success heading into 2030. Aymar Navarro, a native of the Aran region, a pioneer of Spanish freeriding, and technical director of the RFEDI, along with Abel Moga, also born in the Val d’Aran, compete in the elite range. Joining them is Núria Castán, runner-up in the 2024 Freeride World Tour and bronze medalist at the World Championships, as well as a rising generation of riders including Maria Castellví, Leire Pérez, Pol Sabidó, and Uxue Palacios, among others.

What the 2030 Alpine Games Will Be Like

The Winter Olympic Games in the French Alps will be held from February 1 to 17, 2030, marking the fourth time France has hosted a Winter Olympics, following Chamonix in 1924, Grenoble in 1968, and Albertville in 1992. The competition will be spread across the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes and Provence-Alpes-Côte d’Azur regions: Courchevel and Méribel, in the Les Les 3 Vallées ski area, will host the alpine skiing events; La Plagne will host the track and field events on the course inherited from the 1992 Games; Le Grand-Bornand will host the biathlon; and the closing ceremony will take place in Nice, on the shores of the Mediterranean. Freeride will make its Olympic debut at this event.

Carteles oficiales de los Juegos Olímpicos de Invierno de los Alpes Franceses 2030 en La Clusaz

The posters for the French Alps 2030 Games, which will mark the debut of freeride as an Olympic sport.

The Pyrenees: A springboard to the Alps 2030

Beyond the athletic results, freeride’s inclusion in the Games serves as a platform for backcountry skiing and for the destinations that are helping the discipline grow. In the French Alps, resorts like Les Arcs—a regular stop on the Freeride World Tour—are already embracing the 2030 Olympic spirit. The coming winters will allow the FIS to fine-tune the rules and enable Pyrenean resorts like Baqueira Beret and Ordino Arcalís to continue honing the skills of riders hoping to qualify for the event. For anyone who wants to experience firsthand the terrain where the country’s best freeriders train, the Val d’Aran is the best place to start.

Freeride is entering a new Olympic era, and you don’t have to wait until 2030 to experience it: the snow where the country’s best riders train is just a weekend away. At Esquiades.com, we’ll organize your holiday to Baqueira Beret with accommodation and a lift pass all in one package—and at the best price. You choose the run; we’ll take care of the rest.

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Les 2 Alpes to end its summer ski season on July 31 after 218 days

The French resort of Les 2 Alpes is entering the final stretch of its spring and summer ski season: it will close on July 31 after 218 consecutive days of snow on the Mont-de-Lans glacier,

Published: 07/08/2026

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