Featured Image: Jeremy Bernard, Freeride World Tour

Blink and you missed it; the conclusion of the YETI Xtreme Verbier marks the end of the 2026 Freeride World Tour season. One filled with both tribulations and perseverance, this winter brought many complications to the world's biggest freeride stage. From competition cancellations to tricky conditions, it was far from smooth sailing. Still, this triumphant group of skiers managed to put down lines that will live in our memory banks rent-free for years to come.

And though much of the northern hemisphere suffered from a distinct lack of pow days this winter, Mother Nature decided to even the scales by delivering prime conditions for the season finale in Switzerland at the YETI Xtreme Verbier, hosted on the legendary Bec des Rosses. The stakes were high, with both the Verbier top spot and 2026 FWT World Champion titles on the line. Toby Rafford, Ben Richards and Ross Tester were all competing for the title in the ski men's field, while every rider in the ski women's field had a shot at the overall crown.

If any one mountain could be synonymous with freeride skiing, it would be the Bec. The quintessential freeride peak was its finest for the farewell stop, with nearly 20 inches (50 centimeters) of fresh snow sitting atop a stable snowpack. The crowds poured into Verbier by the hundreds as the viewing areas filled, with spectators even crowding the nearby ridgelines to get a look at the prized competition venue. Cowbells, vuvuzela blasts and cheers echoed through the Swiss Alps as the skies cleared and the sun came beaming down. It made for one of the most picture-perfect freeride days we've ever seen, and the riders took full advantage. Double backflips, straightlines, doubles, 360s and more; we truly got it all as the 2026 FWT World Champions were crowned.

Let's dive into the highlights, recap and results from the FWT YETI Xtreme Verbier.

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In the Ski Women’s Field, every skier came to play. Not a single person lost a ski or crashed on their run, leading to a tightly contested finish with first place and last place separated by less than 20 points. While Wynter McBride, Agostina Vietti and Zoé Delzoppo all put down incredibly strong runs, but they couldn't crack the top three.

Third place went to the local fan-favorite Swiss rider, Sybille Blanjean. A student of the Bec since she was little, Blanjean put her technical prowess to work after finishing first at the previous stop in Alaska. Her fast and fluid skiing down the fall line impressed the judges as she was rewarded with a nearly-maxed-out Line score. In second place was the Canadian powerhouse, Justine Dufour-Lapointe. Beating out Blanjean by less than a point, she managed to pull out the lead thanks to her massive air at the bottom of the course.

But the day and the overall FWT World Champion title went to French rookie Lou Barin. After finishing third at Baqueira-Beret and second in Alaska, Barin had shown she could perform when it counted. That being said, her run here shocked everyone. Complete with two textbook 360s and a beautiful descent, she wowed the judges and snagged a 95.00. It was the perfect cap to an impeccable first season on the Tour for Barin, putting her at the top of the 2026 season rankings, followed by Dufour-Lapointe and Blanjean respectively.

“Just three years ago, I would never have felt capable of riding the Bec. Since Alaska, I’ve gained so much confidence. I still can’t quite process what just happened, it’s something I’ve always dreamed of. I’m truly happy to have shared this season with my brother.” - Lou Barin, 2026 YETI Xtreme Verbier Ski Women Winner and 2026 FWT Ski Women Champion

In the Ski Men’s Field, the battle for the season champ was on between Ben Richards, Toby Rafford and Ross Tester. But watching from afar, you would have thought that every single rider here was hunting for the top spot, as not a single skier who crossed the finish line scored under an 81. And while Tester, Victor Hale-Woods, Jack Kolesch and Joey Leonardo kicked a ski during their lines, they still put it all on the line for the glory. Shoutout to Ross the Boss for attempting that insane 720, Fynn Powell for stomping a double backie to kick off the field, and to WeiTien Ho for putting together that monstrous backflip to straight air.

The skiing here was truly mind-melting. Any one of these runs could have podiumed with the cards falling differently. It's certainly worth taking the time to watch every run, but for time's sake, we'll just be summarizing the top three. And that takes us to our third-place finisher, Tiemo Rolshoven. An underrated competitor on the Tour, his balance of style and technique earned him a 93.00 with two 360s and one of the most pristine, large backflips of the season.

Just 1.47 points ahead was Toby Rafford. Breaking out in his second FWT season, Rafford put together one creative line after another. His run on the Bec was fast and furious, stomping a big 360 and the famous Marcus Goguen double cliff line. He made it look too easy, but it wasn't enough to remove the man who has stood at the top all season, Ben Richards. The iron-legged Kiwi earned a 96.00 in Verbier, with three 360s, including a perfectly laced step down at the bottom, some big airs and plenty of speed.

It was the ideal finale for Richards, who had dominated the competitive freeride world this winter after winning the FIS World Championships in Andorra and taking first place at two out of the four FWT comps. He is now officially the 2026 Freeride World Tour World Champion, with Toby Rafford taking second place and Ross Tester claiming third on the season.

“Competing at the Xtreme Verbier has always been a dream of mine but winning it is simply indescribable. To me, the FWT title is the cherry on top. Hearing the crowd from the summit gave me so much energy, it truly is the best event.” - Ben Richards, 2026 YETI Xtreme Verbier Ski Men Winner and 2026 FWT Ski Men Champion

Below, you’ll find the podium results, winning runs and a full photo gallery of the event.

Click here to watch the full replay from Verbier on the official FWT website.

2026 FWT SEASON RANKINGS