The Natural Selection venues often leave competitors in awe too. Photo: NST
Now that the holidays are behind us and we’ve settled into 2024, it’s time to ask the hard-hitting questions. Most importantly, what’s going on with the Natural Selection Tour this year?
Well it’s back, baby. There are a few changes to the format, two new venues and a host of new riders – some of them familiar to the comp and some of them yet untested in battle.
The fresh new batch of challengers will duke it out in The Duels competitions leading up to the two main events in Revelstoke. The Duels will be happening between now and the end of February, when they’ll air on Red Bull TV, so keep an eye on the NST socials for updates and, in some cases, a chance to check the battles out in person.
Aside from the Duels, which are being hosted across North America, Japan, and Europe, the meat of the NST will take place in Revelstoke. There will be two live events within the March 10-17 competition window this year.
Everything’s weather dependent, but the first event will involve 24 riders: the 12 who were in Revelstoke last year, the six winners from The Duels and also six yet-to-be-announced invitees.
The top 12 from day one will move onto the second day of competition whereupon the men’s and women’s champions for NST 2024 will be crowned.
(Read: No Alaska this year).
No Alaska? No problem. Revelstoke will play a huge part in this year’s tour. Photo: NST
Revelstoke will play host to two new venues: one with pre-enhanced features in the sidecountry off Revelstoke Mountain Resort, and another one deep in the backcountry within Selkirk Tangiers Heli Skiing’s massive tenure.
But before all that happens, 12 riders will be vying for six spots in The Duels. The list of challengers is insane (Kevin Backstrom versus Arthur Longo?! LFG!), and the battles will go down in backcountry Meccas that promise to serve up some hot not boardin’ action.
Match-ups and locations are as follows:
– Arthur Longo x Kevin Backstrom in Andermatt, Switzerland
– Jamie Anderson x Emma Crosby in Crested Butte, Colo.
– Nils Mindnich x Victor Daviet in Durango Colo., at Purgatory Snowcat Adventures
– Spencer O’Brien x Mary Rand at RED Mountain Resort in Rossland, B.C.
– Red Gerard x Austen Sweetin in Irwin, Colo. at Eleven’s Terrain on Scarp Ridge
– Raibu Katayama x Torgier Bergrem at an Undisclosed Location in Japan
More info on The Duels, the badass locations, and the chance to see them for yourself are available here.
The winners will head to Revelstoke, where they’ll be joining 2023’s NST competitors: Mikkel Bang, Mikey Ciccarelli, Dustin Craven, Jared Elston, Kimmy Fasani, Ben Ferguson, Hailey Langland, Elena Hight, Torstein Horgmo, Blake Paul, Zoi Sadowski-Synnott, and Travis Rice. (That roster is subject to change.)
And another six invitees will be announced sometime in the next few weeks.
Much like the man who spearheaded the contest’s creation, NST is always evolving, always striving to better than it was the year before. And 2024 promises to push snowboarding, and live competition, to new heights once again.
Keep an eye out here on The Inertia as I’ll be covering the NST all season long.
