Freeride has become official media sponsors to the 18th edition of the Scandinavian Big Mountain Championships, May 12-14, in Riksgränsen, Sweden! The SBMC is not only a race for glory and prize money, it is also the grand finale of the European freeride season, accentuated by midnight sun skiing and partying in a relaxed atmosphere above the Arctic Circle.

The competition attracts some of the world’s best big mountain riders. The world champion Henrik Windstedt, with six SBMC victories, and the Norway Freeride Cup winner and SBMC-champ from last year, Rebecka Eriksson, have already signed up to compete at the 2009 SBMC.

The Location

As in previous years, the competition will take place on the north face of Nordalsfjäll, a 20 minute hike from the top of the Riksgränsen ski area. The face is a relatively short run with a vertical drop of about 300 meters. It offers diverse terrain and steepness. The riders will be able to choose between quite easy lines and more challenging terrain.

Disciplines

There will be separate classes for men and women in the disciplines alpine ski, snowboard and telemark. To go ahead, each class needs a minimum of 10 registered riders by May 5 2009.

Rules

All competitors under the age of 18 need a parent’s approval to join the competition. The SBMC follows the rules, regulations and scoring system of the IFSA. Transceiver, helmet and back protector is mandatory for all riders during course check and competition. Tuesday the 12th of May will be a day of qualification with one run for all registered riders. Wednesday and Thursday the 13-14th will host 1-3 final runs depending on weather and snow conditions.

Signing up

The competition has a limited starting field. Make sure to register as soon as possible since recent year’s competitions have been full. Registrations can be made at bigmountain.se

Entry fee is SEK 820 (£67) which includes the SBMC´s famous banquet at the Riksgränsen Hotel, as well as ski pass for the competition days. The entry fee should be paid no later than April 21 2009.