PlanetSKI Slopeside at the Freeride World Tour in Spain
14th January 2026 | Jane Peel, Baqueira Beret
Last modified on January 19th, 2026
The first competition on the 2026 Freeride World Tour took place under blue skies in the Spanish Pyrenees on Thursday. PlanetSKI joined a large crowd of spectators who gathered to watch all the action.
It is one of the most spectacular events in the snowsports calendar.
And the first one of the year is always eagerly awaited.
Not just by the athletes but also by the resort of Baqueira Beret, which has hosted the Freeride World Tour season opener since 2022.
It’s Spain’s largest ski area and sits in the Val d’Aran in the northern Pyrenees.
Baqueira Beret. Image © PlanetSKI
The competition was held on the iconic Tuc de Baciver.
It rises to 2,644 metres above the Beret sector of the resort.
It’s known for its technical lines and great alpine scenery.
A day before the competition I took a look.
First from a distance….
Baqueira Beret with the Tuc de Baciver the tallest peak in the distance. Image © PlanetSKI
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Then from up close as preparations were underway and the camera crews were readying themselves.
Ready for the action. Image © PlanetSKI
And as the riders got their first detailed look at the face they would be tackling.
Inspecting the competition face. Image © PlanetSKI
Inspecting the competition face. Image © PlanetSKI
A look was all they got.
There are no practice runs on the Freeride World Tour, though the athletes are able to study drone footage of the face and hear from officials who’ve been down it.
One of those donning the bib for the season opener was GB snowboarder, Cody Bramwell.
We met and interviewed him last year in Val Thorens.
Cody Bramwell in 2025 Image © PlanetSKI
We caught up with him again just ahead of the Baqueira Beret Pro in the Riders’ Lounge of the official hotel.
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Here’s Cody winning the 2025 Xtreme Verbier, the final stop of the season which placed him second overall.
The 2026 Baqueira Beret Pro was originally scheduled to happen on Friday this week.
It was brought forward to Thursday to give the skiers and snowboarders the best conditions, safety and visibility.
Some 80cm of snow fell last weekend and the snowpack has since stabilised.
I sat in on the Riders’ Meeting on Wednesday evening where they were warned this would not be a ‘powder event’.
They should expect windblown, bumpy and hard snow at the start followed by firm and grippy conditions in the steepest section.
The judges’ scores and their final rankings would be determined by their overall impression of the line the riders take and how they execute it.
Riders’ Meeting. Image © PlanetSKI
Competition day and the weather looked good.
It was clear and sunny but with some wind.
Thursday morning in Baqueira Beret. Image © PlanetSKI
The scene was set for a great competition.
The judges were in place.
Judges at the Baqueira Beret Pro. Image © PlanetSKI
Soon, so was the enthusiastic crowd, which grew as the event went on.
The organisers say 3,000 people came to watch, “creating an atmosphere unlike any other stop on the Tour”.
Riders reported hearing the crowd from the top of the mountain.
A big crowd of spectators. Image © PlanetSKI
Among the spectators, a group of Americans who told me they’d travelled from Colorado to watch their sons compete as ‘rookies’ in their first FWT.
Americans in town. Image © PlanetSKI
And close to the finish line, some of the emergency team watching on, just in case.
Emergency crew on standby. Image © PlanetSKI
The event got underway with the Snowboard Women.
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The category saw an impressive victory for a rookie, Mia Jones, from the USA.
“My run went really well and the snow was way better than expected,” she said.
“It’s my first time in Baqueira and Spain and the resort is incredible with so much freeride terrain.
“Riding in front of such a big crowd was really special.
“At the top, I didn’t realise how many people were going to be out there, and the support at the bottom was amazing.”
Mia Jones, Snowboard women winner at the 2026 Baqueira Beret FWT. Image © PlanetSKI
Sadly, Cody Bramwell didn’t make the Snowboard Men podium this time.
He finished 7th.
GB’s Cody Bramwell after his run. Image © PlanetSKI
After just one event there’s still plenty of opportunity for Cody and the rest to push up the rankings.
The world-class standard on display from so many riders today – seasoned pros and rookies – shows it’s all to play for.
Baqueira Beret Pro 2026. Image © FWT/D Daher
Around 50 skiers and snowboarders are part of the 2026 FWT and the first four stops are open to them all:
- Baqueira Beret – 16 January
- Val Thorens – 24-29 January
- Georgia – 22-28 February
- Fieberbrunn – 5-10 March
Only the top 60% will make the cut to challenge for the overall Tour podium at the final two events:
- Alaska Haines – 15-22 March
- Xtreme Verbier – 28 March-5 April
In the middle of it all there’s the small matter of the inaugural FIS Freeride World Championships.
They’re being held in Ordino Arcalis in Andorra between 1 and 6 February.
So there’s lots to look forward to for freeride fans for the rest of the season.
Baqueira Beret Pro 2026. Image © FWT/J Bernard
BAQUEIRA BERET PRO PODIUMS
Ski Women
- 1 – Justine Dufour-Lapointe (Canada)
- 2 – Zoe Delzoppo (France)
- 3 – Lou Barin (France)
Ski Men
- 1 – Ben Richards (New Zealand)
- 2 – Toby Rafford (USA)
- 3 – Weiten Ho (Canada)
Snowboard Women
- 1 – Mia Jones (USA)
- 2 – Anna Martinez (France)
- 3 – Michaela Davis-Meehan (Australia)
Snowboard Men
- 1 – Liam Rivera (Switzerland)
- 2 – Sacha Balicco (France)
- 3 – Holden Samuels (USA)
Ski Women podium at the 2026 Baqueira Beret Pro. Image © FWT/ D Daher
You can watch the medallists’ runs and replay the whole competition by going to the Freeride World Tour website.
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