When the Nissanr announced last month that it was dropping female athletes from its professional big mountain competitions, it didn鈥檛 go over very well, as we . So, the tour has released a for the 2011 season. Earlier this week, after discussions with the female athletes and tour sponsors, the FWT organization announced they will reinstate women on three of the six 听stops of the pro tour.
The women will now compete at the Chamonix, France, Kirkwood, CA, and Verbier Switzerland events.听 In addition there will still be four qualifying events for the women鈥檚 Verbier contest that will have some prize money鈥$60,000 of the $250,000 plus prize purse money will be allotted to the women鈥檚 ski and snowboard podiums.
Women's Bib Draw
While an improvement from the schedule (of a series of little to no money qualifier events) presented to the women last month, the tour is not what it was before. 鈥淚t鈥檚 not the best, 鈥 said one female athlete. 鈥淲e didn鈥檛 get everything we wanted; but it is a compromise between everyone.鈥澨
Interestingly, in addition to the backlash from the athletes, the decision to remove the women was apparently made without consulting the major sponsors of the tour. Even , the title sponsor of the tour, claims to have been in the dark. 听鈥淲e clearly said to [FWT management] that we were not happy of that proposal鈥hey didn鈥檛 involve the sponsors and in particular Nissan as Title of 5 stops, they just informed us on the decision taken,鈥 said Elena Caluri, events marketing manager for Nissan-Europe.鈥
It is curious that the FWT seemed surprised the outside world found the move negative, and also that they did not hold a dialogue with involved parties before attempting to drop the women. , which sponsors the tour鈥攁s well as a number of the male and female athletes鈥攎ade the following statement, 鈥淎s a tour sponsor, Scott Sports had no control or influence on the recent format change affecting the women,鈥 according to Marco Roesti, marketing manager for Scott in Europe. 听
Skier
FWT management is sticking by its original explanation, although the logic remains somewhat hard to follow. Spokeswoman Joesphine As said regarding the changes, 鈥淲e did not 'change' our position which is that women have to get their own tour in order to, 1. Make the show without being in the shadow of men 2. Open the field to younger riders 3. Get the communication they diserve.鈥
When few outside of the FWT management supported the changes as a positive step for the women, they were forced to again revise the schedule. 鈥淎fter discussions with female riders they came to common the conclusion regarding the format. The goal is to make the sport evolve and in the future have a completely separated women's tour [sic],” said As. 听听
Which sounds like a forward thinking sentiment-let鈥檚 just hope the FWT remembers in the future that demotion to a lower-level qualifier tour is not exactly the best way to support the women and evolve the sport. Now, we can sit back and watch the women rip on the tour, at least half the time, which is progress鈥攕ort of. 听
–Brigid Mander
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