This just in from the organisers:

Sochi, Russia – January 25, 2010 – Due to heavy snowfall and wind, the Nissan Russian Adventure by Swatch is postponed and will be held in Chamonix after the Nissan Freeride de Chamonix-Mont-Blanc.

As security is key for the Freeride World Tour competitions, organiser Nicolas Hale-Woods and the team of mountain guides decided that the heavy snowfall and high winds over the last 24 hours would not allow for optimal security conditions to hold the competition.

The Nissan Freeride de Chamonix-Mont-Blanc is scheduled for Saturday, January 30th (riders list), and the Nissan Russian Adventure by Swatch will take place the next possible day using the start list established in Sochi.

Riders will meet in Chamonix for both events. The line up is as good as it gets with many interesting contenders for the Freeride World Champion 2010 title.

Men’s ski
Challenging reigning Freeride World Champion Aurélien Ducroz (FRA) will be a talented group of riders led by Sweden’s Reine Barkered and Henrik Windstedt. Barkered was an unknown on the international freeride scene before his rookie season in 2009 during which he won one event and placed second in Verbier. Windstedt, the Freeride World Champion in 2008 and considered by many to be one of the best all-round skiers in the world, is fit and eager to win back his title.

Last year’s winner in Sochi, Sverre Liliequist will be bringing all his experience back to the tour as will former Xtreme Verbier winner Kaj Zackrisson (SWE) and France’s Seb Michaud.

Candide Thovex (FRA), one of the pioneers to the new school freestyle movement, will be making his debut on the tour and will undoubtedly set pulses pulling off some of his infamous freestyle moves. An extremely talented skier, Thovex is expected to challenge the tour’s best with his innovative interpretation of freeride.

Keep an eye out for American JT Holmes, who is back on the competitive scene after a few years focusing on film making. His fellow countryman Tim Dutton, a rising star on the American freeride scene, is also someone to look out for.

Last but not least, Germany’s rookie Sebastian Hannemann and Torgrim Vole from Norway are young, strong and keen to show the established riders that they mean business.

Women Riders
12 of the planet’s strongest female riders will be challenging skier Ane Enderud (NOR) and snowboarder Susan Mol (USA) for the Freeride World Champion title. With a podium in every FWT contest 2009, Marja Persson (SWE) is a very solid skier striving for the top step of the podium. Elyse Saugstad (USA) won the first edition of the Freeride World Tour 2008, and did a very impressive run at the Nissan Tram Face in Squaw Valley last year. Aline Bock (GER) was the female rookie of the Freeride World Tour 2009. The former freestyle snowboarder made the jump to the Freeride World Tour and landed second in the Freeride World Ranking.

Freeride World Tour
Russian Adventure
Freeride de Chamonix Mont Blanc