STORY BY KAREN BOSSICK

PHOTOS Courtesy FWT U.S.

Sun Valley freeride skier Toby Rafford captured second place in the FIS Freeride World Tour Baqueira Beret this week.

The event by Movistar kicked off the 2026 Freeride World Tour, which is the highest level of competition for the sport of freeride.

A huge crowd cheered Rafford on at the Spanish Pyrenees Baqueira Beret venue as he skied along a ridge overlooking a vast expanse of snow-covered mountains and valleys.

Rafford then pointed his skis downhill, flying over a rock-strewn couloir. He crashed onto his backside in deep powder as he finished flying over the midsection of the slope but was able to pop up, right himself on one ski and continue skiing.

He then did a little hop, twisting his skis in air as he zoomed into the finish area.

Rafford, in his second year of competing, is one of 10 members on the American Freeride team.

Mia Jones of Lake Tahoe took first in her first-ever Freeride World Tour Pro competition at Baqueira. Jones’ father, legendary backcountry snowboarder Jeremy Jones, was there cheering her on.

Holden Samuels of Big Sky, Mont., took third in the Men’s Snowboard category.

Following the competition in the Spanish Pyrenees, the team will head to Val Thorens, France, where they will hope to compete between Jan. 24 and 29 as weather permits.

Rafford, 22, finished third overall in his rookie season last year. His debut season included a second place at the 2025 Baqueira Beret Pro, a third at the YETI Xtreme Verbier and a fourth at the Georgia Pro 2025.

He was crowned the 2025 Men’s Rookie of the Year by Swissborg.

Toby, the son of Kyle and Gabby Rafford, followed his sister Addison, aka Addie, into Freeride.

Addison discovered her passion for moguls and freestyle while on the Sun Valley Ski Education Foundation’s moguls team.  She finished the 2022 FWT-Americas season at the top of the standings with two first-place results.

Freeride, which involves no gates, halfpipes or terrain park features, hopes to make the 2030 Olympics, which will be held in the French Alps. And Rafford wants to be there.

The young man, whom you might have seen working at Sturtevants during summer, also has been named to compete in the first-ever FIS Freeride World Championships in Andorra, Spain, in February of this year.

“Sun Valley’s Toby Rafford is one of—if not the most—exciting skiers on the FWT right now,” said Ashley Smith, who handles the media for FWT U.S. “Very cool.”