This season sees the launch of the first Freeride World Tour, sponsored by Nissan, O'Neill and Swatch. Two new events will be added to the three annual freeriding fixtures already on the calendar to make up the tour schedule.

The tour starts in North America with the Nissan Mammoth Challenge which takes place from January 22 to 26. Next the tour heads to Sochi in Russia for the Nissan Caucasus Classic from January 31 to February 5 before heading to the Alps for the Swatch O'Neill Big Mountain Pro from February 24 to March 2. Next up is the Nissan Freeride de Tignes from March 9 to 12 and the tour ends with the Nissan O'Neill Xtreme in Verbier from March 14 to 23.

After the final event of the season, four freeride world champions will be crowned - (male and female skier and snowboarder) and the winners will share the biggest ever freeriding prize purse - $300,000USD.

The tour comes after the founding of the Pro Freeriders Board (PFB). It is made up of eight of the most prominent riders in the sport of freeride - snowboard: Cyril Neri (SUI), Steve Klassen (USA), Mitch Toelderer (AUT), Flo Orley (AUT); ski: Aurélien Ducroz (FRA), Phil Meier (SUI), Ian McIntosh (CAN), Martin Winkler (AUT). Their task is to establish the competition format, the judging rules and the ranking system. They also helped to establish the qualifying system through which up and coming riders get the chance to take part in the five main events. They can qualify through three events this season - the Nissan Mammoth Quest from 15 to 17 January, the Nissan Quest in Schruns (Austria) and the Nissan ArctiX in Tromsö (Norway). The best athletes from these events in 2008 will qualify for the Freeride World Tour 2009.

For more information visit www.xtremeverbier.com