Two Colorado athletes named to lineup for inaugural FIS Freeride World Tour World Championships

The lineup has been set for the inaugural FIS Freeride World Championships next February in Andorra.

Twelve Americans — including Glenwood Springs native Kelly Hilleke and Edwards native Blake Moller — were named to the 66-athlete roster, which was finalized in a Freeride World Tour press release last week.

The Freeride World Tour was founded in 1996 as the Verbier Extreme and included only snowboard competitions until 2004. In December 2022, the FWT — which showcases the most legendary alpine faces around the world for freeride athletes — merged with FIS, the governing body for international winter sports.

The first edition of the FIS Freeride World Championships will run from Feb. 1-6, 2026, on the Pyrenees’ challenging terrain of Ordino Arcalis. The FWT is also seeking inclusion in the 2030 Olympic program.

Earlier this year, 47 riders earned their spots in groups 1 and 2 based on FWT Pro Rankings and Continental quotas. Hilleke was included in the Group 2 quota, awarded to the highest-ranked rider on the Qualifying Global Seeding List. Fourteen more athletes earned places via National Ski Association quotas in Group 3. These quotas were distributed based on a Nations Ranking, calculated using international results from the top 100 athletes in each discipline.

Four wildcard athletes (one per discipline) were also given a place in Group 4. These athletes were chosen directly by FIS Freeride “to address needs such as injuries, media visibility or national interest.” Kai Jones and Manon Loschi were nominated as the male and female skiers, while Moller and Marion Haerty of France were given the snowboard spots. Joan Aracil was given the final spot through a host nation wildcard allocation.

Moller placed third overall in the 2021 FWT season standings and won the overall title in 2022. The Edwards native grew up skiing at Vail and Beaver Creek. Hilleke qualified for this year’s FWT after winning the Challenger series last winter. The Aspen Valley Ski and Snowboard Club star grew up in Carbondale and skied mostly at Sunlight Mountain Resort during his youth. He graduated from Aspen High School in 2024.

The world championships will include one competition day within the weather window of Feb. 1-6.