Women-only Freeride clinic a success at first FIS World Championships in Andorra

Feb 11, 2026·Inside FIS

Participants in the women-only Freeride clinic at February’s World Championships in Andorra. Photo credit: @freerideworldtour

Featuring world-class terrain and outstanding conditions, including a whopping 150cm of fresh snowfall, competition at the first-ever Allianz FIS Freeride World Championships Andorra 2026 by Mammut was matched by progress off it, via a women-only Freeride clinic designed to lower barriers to entry and strengthen pathways for women across the sport.

“The day went super well and we had amazing snow conditions,” said Abril, the clinic’s mountain guide on the day. “Thanks to FWT and FIS for organizing events like this, it’s very motivating!”

Held alongside the Championships and delivered by Freeride World Tour (FWT), the clinic brought together women freeriders of varying experience levels in a structured, supportive environment focused on confidence, skills development, and mountain awareness. The initiative forms part of a broader, multi-year commitment by FWT to improve gender equality in Freeride, from grassroots participation through to professional competition and governance.

Strong demand underlines women’s appetite for freeriding

The women-only Freeride clinic in Andorra is one of several delivered by FWT this season, following similar sessions in Val Thorens, France, and Verbier, Switzerland, with further locations planned. While the format is intentionally inclusive and non-competitive, demand has highlighted a clear appetite among women to engage more deeply with freeriding.

When registration opened for the clinic in Andorra, all places were filled within 22 minutes! That shows us there is a strong demand from women who want to be trained in freeriding, who want to progress, and who want to do it shoulder-to-shoulder with men. Our role is to help create the conditions for that to happen.– Alicia Cenci, Head of Sustainability at Freeride World Tour.

Confidence, fun and, of course, freeriding were the order of the day in Andorra! Photo credit: @freerideworldtour

The clinics have been running for four years and are closely aligned with FWT’s sustainability program, where gender equality is identified as a core pillar. By providing women-only learning environments, the program aims to counter long-standing structural and cultural barriers that have limited women’s participation in high-risk and extreme sports.

“In society more broadly, risky activities have historically been promoted more towards men,” Cenci says. “Girls are often encouraged towards safer options, and for a long time most role models in freeriding were men. That is changing, but it takes time, consistency and visible opportunities.”

Indeed, stamping their claim to become Freeride role models were the winners of the women’s categories at the World Championships in Andorra, with Poland’s Zuzanna Witych taking the Ski Women crown thanks to a composed performance in deteriorating weather conditions.

“It’s been mind-blowing, I can hardly believe it!” said Witych, speaking to freerideworldtour.com after securing the title. “Carrying my flag and representing Poland was incredibly special, and I couldn’t be happier to finish in first place.”

Over in the Snowboard Women category, it was Mia Jones (USA) who seized glory in spectacular style, showing exactly why she leads the Overall Freeride World Tour rankings in her rookie season.

“The venue was incredible and there’s been an amazing energy surrounding this competition,” said Jones. “It made the experience even more meaningful.”

FWT increasing participation across the board

While the women-only clinics are a visible and popular entry point into the discipline, FWT’s equality work extends well beyond athlete participation. Over recent seasons, the organization has taken steps to increase the presence of women across judging, coaching, media, operations, and leadership roles.

Since 2024, FWT has delivered all-women judging workshops, contributing to an increase from 42 to 121 qualified women judges in just two seasons. Women-only competitions such as the Bruson Freeride Week for Junior and Qualifier athletes, alongside targeted financial support for women-led initiatives, have further strengthened the development pipeline.

We're trying to increase women’s participation across the board. Not just on snow, but in every department of the organization - communications, operations, live hosting, judging, coaching. These roles matter because they shape how the sport is run and how it is presented.– Alicia Cenci, Head of Sustainability at Freeride World Tour.

That systemic approach was reinforced through the creation of a Gender Equality Task Force, bringing together representatives from across the Freeride ecosystem, including staff, judges, coaches, former athletes, and current competitors. The group identified barriers and stereotypes embedded in sport, governance, and communication, leading to a multi-year action plan of concrete measures.

Among these are communication guidelines aimed at avoiding gender-based stereotypes in coverage and live commentary, as well as the introduction of a digital hotline allowing witnesses or victims of gender-based discrimination at FWT-related events to report concerns anonymously.

Progress made but challenges remain

FWT is careful to frame its equality work as ongoing rather than complete. Participation levels among women at junior and qualifier levels have increased significantly in recent years, but gaps remain when compared to men’s participation.

“We were starting from a very low base,” Cenci notes. “The difference is still significant, and we are not claiming to be perfect. Some discussions, such as start locations at certain venues, continue every year. What matters is that these conversations are happening regularly, and that we keep moving forward.”

And at the FIS Freeride World Championships in Andorra, the women-only clinic stood as a practical example of that commitment: a focused, participant-centered initiative aimed at expanding access, building confidence, and supporting long-term change in freeriding culture.

“The clinic was really great and the conditions were amazing,” was the final verdict of clinic participant Maud Z. “We’ve had some really good advice that’ll help us ski better, and we’ve had a great day all together.”