We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again: the Freeride World Tour is the best competition series in snowboarding.

While the freestyle disciplines flounder in a quagmire of competing organisations, clashing calendars and perpetually-rebranded events, the FWT is relatively easy to follow.

The tour visits some of the most iconic freeride locations on the planet, with a straightforward format and scoring system. All of the tour’s biggest names are at every event, and you can tune in to the live stream wherever you are, for free.

“While most pros focus on freeriding later in their careers, few of them – especially the male ones – head for the FWT”

And yet it remains a bit of a niche, never coming close to the exposure that, say, the X Games – or the similarly-structured World Surf League – generates. There’s no shortage of gnar factor… so what’s the problem?

Perhaps it’s down to the lack of marquee names. While most pros tend to focus on freeriding later in their careers, few of them – especially the male ones – head for the FWT.