Coop's Corner: The Southern Hemi Roars, And Winter is Knocking!
KirkwoodMtn in all her glory
And just like that, the switch has been flipped! The 2026 Freeride World Tour Qualifier season officially kicked into high gear last week, with the first event exploding at The Remarkables in New Zealand.1 While we've been soaking up the last bits of summer, the Southern Hemisphere sent a clear message: Winter is on the way!
The North Face Frontier went off in the legendary Alta Chutes, and from the footage I've been geeking out on all week, the athletes were sending it to the moon on some classic, spicy NZ terrain. What a way to get the global freeride community buzzing!
A Look Back at Last Week's Send-Fest!
In case you missed the action, here’s who laid down the law and stood on the podium:
Ski Men: Hometown hero Luke McConnell (NZL) defended his turf and claimed the top spot! An epic start for the Kiwi contingent.
Ski Women: Harriet Lucas (GBR) made a massive statement, taking the win and firing a warning shot for the season.
Snowboard Men: Aussie powerhouse Vaughn Hardwick (AUS) was on another planet, dominating the 4-Star and then going BACK-TO-BACK to win the 2-Star event as well. The man is on a mission!
Snowboard Women: Hana Kinoshita (JPN) took the 4-Star win, while Jaimie Figueira (CAN) grabbed the top spot in the 2-Star.
Seeing this go down has the stoke meter pegged to 11! The days are getting noticeably shorter, there's that crisp chill in the morning air, and the anticipation for our own season is building to a roar. I'm already deep in prep mode with my man CJ, getting fired up for the TJFS regional tour here in the Sierra and the IFSA tour. It's right around the corner!
Keep your eyes on the prize... and the peaks! We're hearing whispers of a slight dusting over the high country in the next few dayz. It’s starting! For your #1 weather and snow forecast, you know where to go: https://bit.ly/LakeTahoeWeather.
Stay'nThirsty for POW,
Coop
