Ben Richards (Wānaka, 25) has kicked off his 2026 Freeride World Tour with a bang, finishing in first place in the Ski Men’s category at the Baqueira Beret Pro held in Spain overnight. Teammate Fynn Powell (23) achieved an impressive 7th placing in the 22 strong field.
Ben, who was named Rookie of the Year after a 3rd place overall finish on the 2024 tour, and who came in ranked 5th from the 2025 event with two podium finishes, has multiple elite titles. He finished 3rd in the same season opener event in Spain last year.
Rookies and renowned Freeride icons alike faced off in Baqueira Beret, a Spanish ski resort nestled in the Pyrenees. Lead-in conditions had been challenging but day one opened to a meter of snowfall and sunny conditions in front of a crowd of some 3000.
Blake Marshall, Freeride coach and team manager, said Richards was confident going into the first competition - “the goal was a clean run, then he switched into another gear”.
“Overall the aim was to put down a line Ben was inspired to ski. When he’s inspired, he skis really well.”
Richards looked relaxed going into the run, showing an effortless style that ultimately impressed the judges, executing a series of clean technical elements including a Lincoln Loop (backflip) and 360 into a fast drop. His score of 86.67 edged out his fellow podium placegetters, Toby Rafford (USA) and Wei-Ten Ho (Canada) in an incredibly tight competition for the top spot.
The Freeride World Tour continues in just over a week’s time in Val Thorens, France. This season also includes the first-ever FIS Freeride World Championships in Andorra next month.
14 hours ago