LAKE TAHOE, Calif./Nev. – This year’s FIS Freeride World Tour season just kicked-off in the Spanish Pyrenees with steep mountains, cliff drops, big air, and to Truckee-Tahoe fans, familiar names and faces.

Of the ten U.S. competitors, four bore Truckee or Tahoe next to their name at the Jan. 15 competition. It so happens that there’s one Tahoe-Truckee athlete in each FWT category, providing excitement to home fans tracking the circuit which runs into April. 

The Tahoe four

The four included Truckee’s Mia Jones who claimed the top podium spot in her rookie debut to the pro circuit in the women’s snowboard category. Her winning run demonstrated both control and speed as well as a masterfully landed mandatory air that earned her the top 69.67 score.

In men’s ski, Ross Tester of Truckee placed 5th in a field of 22. He showcased speed, strength, technique and fluidity, starting out with big air, then executing a 360 with a backslap, and another 360 with a strong landing and grab that earned him a score of 82.83.

Also a rookie, Shayne Blue Sandblom of Lake Tahoe and Silt, Colo. debuted the pro circuit by sticking the landing off his first cliff drop. His run also included a 360 off of a windlip, and style throughout the run. Sporting his signature pink, from his helmet, hair, and gloves, to his pants, his run earned him 9th in the men’s snowboard category.

South Lake Tahoe’s Molly Armanino placed 10th in the women’s ski category. Entering her third FWT season, Armanino approached her line in Spain with confidence and speed, skiing into into a couloir with a mandatory air and landing. However, a strong kick from a windlip caused a ‘fall’ and deductions for a 38.00. She comes off 2025 with a win at Kicking Horse Golden BC Pro and was the Vice-World Champion in 2023, making her a competitor to watch in the future.

Season format and scoring

Each event brings an opportunity for the athletes to earn points to claim the 2026 FWT Champion title and for a spot at the FIS Freeride World Championships in 2027.

Following the fourth competition, each athlete’s highest three results are totaled. Athletes in the top 60% move on to compete in the 2026 FWT’s season two finals: the new FWT Alaska Haines Pro and the iconic FWT Xtreme Verbier.

Here’s the Tahoe four’s points after this first event:

• Mia Jones – 10,000 points
• Ross Tester – 6,560 points 
• Shayne Blue Sandblom – 1,675 points
• Molly Armanino – 1,340 points

The next opportunity to pick up more points, and potentially podiums, comes between Jan 24 – 29 at Val Thorens France.

In a bid for freeride to become an Olympic sport, the new FIS Freeride World Championship events are a necessary step on that road, hopefully allowing the sport to make its debut in the 2030 Olympics French Alps.