Press release
October 12, 2022
Since 2016, all riders on the Freeride World Tour, the qualifier tour and the junior tour receive a RECCO rescue reflector as part of the mandatory safety equipment. The reflector is complementary to the transceiver, shovel, probe and airbag backpack, that all competitors are required to carry.
“FWT is very proud to renew its partnership with Recco, an essential piece of the safety gear every freerider should be equipped with. Recco is not only partner of the FWT events, but of the Qualifiers and Juniors series as well, representing over 6’000 riders worldwide, making each one of them a safety ambassador,” says Nicolas Hale-Woods, CEO at Freeride World Tour.
RECCO technology is a two-part system, featuring an active search detector, carried by the rescuer, and a passive rescue reflector, carried by the user. When the radar signal hits the RECCO reflector, it is echoed back to the detector and points the rescuer in the direction of the victim.
As part of FWT’s sustainability initiative, safety is one part that the organization is focusing on, besides mobility and equality. During the mandatory rider’s meeting, all competitors receive a safety briefing, and are educated about the importance of being searchable with all means, in order to be found in case of an accident.
“The RECCO system has been used by professional rescue teams since many years. Today we are proud to say that RECCO reflectors are, among the essential avalanche equipment, also recommended by such an opinion leading organization as the FWT,” – says Fredrik Steinwall, CEO at RECCO.
Black Diamond and Vibram both have had several years of history being safety partners to FWT. Together, all partners cover the safety aspect of going up the mountain and at the end of the day coming down as safe as possible.
RECCO® advanced rescue technology makes outdoor enthusiasts searchable to rescuers in case of an avalanche accident or when lost in the outdoors. The technology builds on a two-part radar system. Rescuers carry RECCO® detectors that send out search signals which are echoed by RECCO® reflectors, carried by the user. RECCO® detectors are used worldwide at more than 900 ski resorts and mountain rescue organizations in 32 countries. RECCO® reflectors are integrated into select apparel, helmets, protection gear and boots manufactured by more than 150 leading outdoor brands. RECCO AB was founded in 1983 in Sweden and is owned by its founder Magnus Granhed and the publicly traded investment company Traction AB (listed on OMX Nordic Exchange Stockholm). More info at recco.com
