VERBIER RIDE 06 Starts next weekend
The Verbier Ride 06 is running this year from the 18th - 24th February. The events kick off this Saturday 18th with the worlds top freeskiers arriving in the ski resort of Verbier, Switzerland. Thereafter the event schedule is:
- Sunday 19th: Big Mountain Qualifications
- Monday 20th: Big Mountain Finals
- Tuesday 21st: Big Mountain Super Finals
- Wednesday 22nd: Big Air + Rail Jam Competitions
- Thursday 23rd: Weather Day
- Friday 24th: Weather Day
The days of competition will see the worlds best freeskiing talent on show to the specators in the resort of Verbier and to the millions that will watch the TV broadcast and website video footage. Athletes will be battling it out for the $17,000 cash purse and the global media exposure to promote the sponsors that support them on the freeskiing tour. The official schedule for the week is available at www.verbierride.com (just click on the ‘Events’ tab) along with information on the event, the resort and the event sponsors.
RIDERS START LIST ANNOUNCED
The Start Lists for the Qualifiication day of the Verbier Ride have now been published on www.verbierride.com. To view them go to the homepage of www.verbierride.com and click on the Riders List grey box on the lefthand side. The Pre-Qualified IFSA World Tour Athlete list that go straight through to the Finals Day can also be accessed here.
RIDERS INFORMATION
BIG MOUNTAIN ($10,000 cash purse)
RIDERS MEETING: The riders meeting for the Big Mountain discipline is on Saturday 18th February from 6pm - 7pm at the Centre Sportif in Verbier (www.verbier-sport.ch). Riders will not be allowed to compete on the event without attending the meeting.
WELCOME DRINKS: Athletes, Team Managers, Press and the Organising Team will be invited to complimentary welcome drinks at the Farinet Lounge Bar in the centre of Verbier. This will take place on Saturday 18th from 8pm - 9pm. To access the VIP guest area you will need your VIP Ride Events pass.
RIDER ENVIRONMENT: All registered athletes will receive complimentary access to the Centre Sportif swimming pool throughout the event. You will also receive complimentary Chiropractic and Massage treatments on location at the Centre Sportif. These will take place from 7pm - 8pm each day during the Verbier Ride.
BIG AIR ($5,000 cash purse)
RIDERS MEETING: The riders meeting for the Big Air competition will be at 10am in the ‘Carrefour’ area of Verbier, next to the Big Air kicker. Please bring € or CHF with you to pay your inscription fee on the day.
RAIL JAM ($2,000 cash purse)
RIDERS MEETING: The riders meeting for the Rail Jam competition will be at 1pm in the ‘Carrefour’ area of Verbier, next to the Big Air kicker. Please bring € or CHF with you to pay your inscription fee on the day. The Rail Jam competition will be located next to the Big Air kicker.
RIDE ATHLETES SERVICE CENTRE
Ski Service (www.skiservice.com) will be offering all Verbier Ride registered athletes special price reductions on ski repairs, servicing, boot maintenance, binding checks and any other assistance an athletes might need during the event. The shop is located between Place Central and the Medran Lift Station just next to the Fer a Cheval.
OTHER EVENTS - Official Parties, Product Testing, Freeride Safety Awareness
OFFICIAL PARTIES: During the Verbier Ride there will be two official parties. On Tuesday 21st February, Le Pub Mont Fort (www.pubmontfort.com) will be hosting the Big Mountain Finale Party in association with the Verbier Ride. This will take place from 9pm - 1.30am. Then after it will be the Tara Tata (www.taratata.ch) Late Big Mountain Party from 1.30pm till late.
The Big Air + Rail Jam Party will take place at the Farinet Lounge Bar + Casbah (www.hotelfarinet.com) on Wednesday 22nd from 9pm till late.
PRODUCT TESTING: You will be able to test products from the event sponsors whilst at the event. Peak Performance will have a selection of clothing to sample and Dainese will have the latest protection equipment to try out. The location will be at the base of the Mont Gele during the Big Mountain and the Village in Carrefour during the Big Air and Rail Jam.
FREERIDE SAFETY CENTRE: Ride Freesport together with Peak Performance and Dainese will be offering free advice from Freeride Experts on some basic necessities that you will need to take onboard if you want to freeride with safety. The Freeride Safety Centre will be situated at the base of the Mont Gele, just opposite the Powder Spirit Bar and at the Carrefour Village next to the Big Air kicker.
EVENT HIGHLIGHTS: You will be able to see daily highlights of the action from the Verbier Ride 06 at two locations in town. From 7pm - 8pm each night the Farinet Hotel Big Screen will be projecting the action live to the Place Central for all to see. Thereafter, Harold’s Cyber Cafe (www.harolds.ch) from 10pm each night will show the action.
ONE FM BROADCASTING LIVE: One FM (www.onefm.ch) will be broadcasting live from Verbier each day and interviewing the Athletes during and after the events for some real time updates and news for the Swiss radio listeners.
USEFUL INFORMATION - Accommodation
Unfortunately this is half term week in Verbier and accommodation is scarce. If anyone has information on accommodation for this week, please contact admin@snowsportsynergy.com or call +41 79 359 6566. Please be aware that the period of the Verbier Ride will be very busy in the village, therefore it is essential that all athletes or team managers book accommodation before coming to the resort. For useful information on accommodation please go to www.verbier.ch website and look up the page for the hotels and B+B’s. If you have any problems after this process please call the Verbier Tourist office on +41 27 775 3888.
OTHER COMPS IN EUROPE - Les Arcs and Vars
The next stop on the IFSA World Freeskiing Tour is the Les Arcs Freeride from the 27th February to 3rd March. For information on Les Arcs Freeride, goto www.ridelife.com. It’s the 8th edition of the event and once again the world top riders will hit Les Arcs to conquer the mythical slopes of the Aiguille Rouge. An event not to be missed!
After Les Arcs is the Vars Eyssina Freeride from the 6th to 10th March. The event is the finale to the IFSA Euro Tour for 2006. All event info can be found at www.vars-ski.com.
VERBIER RIDE TELEVISION - Watch Verbier Ride 05 on Extreme Channel + the Web
Watch last years Verbier Ride 2005 on the Extreme Channel at the following times:
Wednesday 15th February at 20.00 (CET -1 Hour)
Wednesday 22nd February 14.30 (CET -1 Hour)
Wednesday 22nd February 20.00 (CET -1 Hour)
Thursday 23rd February 02.30 (CET -1 Hour)
Tuesday 28th February 15.00 (CET -1 Hour)
Tuesday 28th February 20.30 (CET -1 Hour)
Last years TV programme saw some awe-inspiring freeriding action, energetic skiercross and steezy freestyle! Combined with interviews from the athletes, info of freeskiing safety and an insight into the freeskiing pro’s, it’s a programme not to be missed. If you can’t make the TV slots check out the full 24 minute programme in real time streaming from the homepage of the Verbier Ride website. Just click on the miniature TV screen on the left side of the homepage.
