Freeride or Freestyle?
In this blog, we’ll give you the lowdown on what’s happening this Saturday, 4 April 2026, in La Rosière, during the FWT, the international freeride competition. We’ll also take the opportunity to explore a discipline that’s often confused with freeride: freestyle! Vocabulary, differences, competition rules… dive into the extraordinary world of skiing and snowboarding!
The difference between Freeride and Freestyle:
Freeride: challenging off-piste skiing involving jumps over rocky outcrops.
Freestyle: skiing or snowboarding that focuses on tricks, requiring technique and creativity. Freestyle areas are set up in resorts.
In other words, freeride is one of the many facets of freestyle! AND if you’re spending your spring break in La Rosière, you’ll have the chance, on Saturday 4 April 2026, to attend the Freeride World Tour Junior (FWT Junior) and the 3-star Freeride World Qualifier (FWQ3***). We’ll give you the lowdown on everything happening around you on the big day!
Freeride
Essential freeride glossary
- Line: the route chosen by the rider for the descent.
- Drop: a jump from a rocky ledge.
- Cliff: a cliff (jumping area).
- Pillow: a rounded pile of snow (often used for bouncing/jumping).
- Couloir: a narrow, steep passage between rocks.
- Run: the rider’s complete descent (1 run).
- Backslap: landing on the back (heavily penalised in competition).
- Crash: fall.
- Straight line: riding straight down (very committed but risky).
- Check / Scrub: deliberately slowing down (loss of fluidity).
- Scouting: observing the slope ahead of the rider.
- Engagement: level of risk taken.
- Exposure: danger associated with the slope (rocky outcrops, potential fall).
- Snow conditions: snow quality (powder, crusted, hard, etc.).
- Sluff: snow avalanche triggered by the rider.
Freeriders’ comments
- Going all out”: doing something big (a big jump, a challenging line).
- “It’s committed”: dangerous, technical, no room for error.
- “No fall zone”: if you fall = serious consequences (rocks, cliff edge…).
- “He/she is committing”: the rider is taking risks.
- “Nice line”: well-chosen, aesthetic and clever.
- “Vary the line”: add jumps, changes of direction.
- “Read the face”: understand the terrain before riding.
- “Break the line”: stop / hesitate (bad for the score).
- “Take a big drop”: make a big cliff jump.
- “Stomp the landing”: perfect, solid landing.
The rules of freeride competition
All riders descend the same mountainside, starting from the same point at the summit, known as the start gate. This Saturday, you’ll see them hurtling down the north face of Montvalezan. The aim is simple: to get to the bottom. What makes freeride unique is that everyone chooses their own line: no route is imposed.
Generally, it all comes down to a matter of minutes, as your run is judged on a single attempt. You only have one chance: either you play it safe, or you take risks to try and win!
The judges then award an overall score (often out of 100) based on various criteria: the line chosen (difficulty + creativity), control (stability + precision), jumps (size + quality), technique and style.
But in reality, it’s not a strict calculation; it’s an overall impression! Penalty points are deducted for falls, hesitations and loss of control, etc.
Freestyle
If you’re the daredevil of the group, or if you’ve got friends who love to go headfirst into things, this glossary is for you!
Freestyle: the many faces
1. Slopestyle: It’s a course set up with rails, boxes, kicks and small jumps. The aim in competition is tolink together tricks (grabs, rotations, slides) on the obstacles.
2. Halfpipe: This is a half-pipe made of snow (a giant “U”). The aim in competition is to perform tricks whilst riding up and down the walls.
3. Big Air: a single big jump. The aim is to pull off the most spectacular trick possible.
4. Freeride: The freerider rides on natural terrain—steep slopes, powder, couloirs, cliffs—with a simple aim: to descend the slope as fluidly and committedly as possible.
5. Urban / Street: Finally, this style of freestyle aims to perform tricks on urban features: stairs, railings, low walls.
In conclusion, freestyle is about loving to jump, going headfirst and breaking away from ordinary skiing or snowboarding. It’s more than just hurtling down a slope
So, which discipline appeals to you most?
You’re now an expert on freestyle vocabulary, and especially on the world of freeriding. Now it’s your turn: are you more into challenging powder runs, spectacular jumps or creative tricks in the park? Tell us which kind of run gets your heart racing!