Freeride World Tour Qualifier kicks off in Xinjiang's Hemu

The 2025/2026 Hemu Freeride Festival Qualifier kicked off on Friday at the Jikepulin International Ski Resort in Hemu village of the Altay prefecture, Northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region.

Running through Tuesday, the event marks the first stop of the 2025/2026 Freeride World Tour Qualifier season, a prestigious circuit of freeride skiing and snowboarding held across Europe, Asia, Oceania, North America, and South America.

Freeriding refers to the practice of skiing or snowboarding outside marked slopes in ski resorts. It typically occurs on natural, ungroomed terrain, where riders can enjoy the freedom of route selection and the challenge of adapting to natural features while conquering their own journey.

Known for its natural powder snow, this is the third year in a row that Altay has hosted such a qualifier event, with more than a hundred participants competing this time. A three-star competition — the highest and most difficult level of the qualifier series — has been added to the current event for the first time.

Participants have only one chance for group inspection, during which they plan their personal routes, assess the snow, and evaluate potential risks. The competition is taking place under strict safety requirements. Judges will score based on the participants' route selection, postures, techniques, and style.

During the opening ceremony on Friday, Australian skier Finn Bowes took the oath on behalf of all participants, pledging to strictly adhere to the competition rules and respect the judges, opponents and spectators.

Bowes mentioned that he heard about the three-star competition in China from other riders and thought he would not only get to compete but also see the country for the first time.

"I haven't competed against many Chinese athletes before. And they know the snow here in the country better than others. So I expect it will be tough," he said.

While speaking highly of the snow and facilities, he added that he would love to bring other athletes and friends with him next time if this is a success.

Another event, the 2026 Altay Freeride Festival Qualifier, will take place at the same venue from Feb 28 to March 5, with registration open until Jan 29.

Alongside the competition, a powder snow carnival is being held, with events such as two master classes on freestyle skiing and snowboarding focusing on gliding techniques, freestyle skiing aerials, and safety precautions.

The current Altay event is part of the 2025 Xinjiang Funskiing Festival, which runs from Nov 14 to Jan 14.

According to Yu Jie, deputy director of Xinjiang's culture and tourism department, the festival takes advantage of the ice-and-snow resources of the Tianshan and Altay mountain ranges and includes more than a hundred ice-and-snow themed cultural and tourism activities. They have also collaborated with six platforms, introducing favorable measures to boost consumption.