FMBA Introduces Gold Cup, Women's Category At All Levels, & More

PRESS RELEASE: FMB World Tour

With the 2024 FMB World Tour around the corner, the Freeride Mountain Bike Association (FMBA) has updated its rule book to reflect the continuous evolution of freeride mountain biking. Amongst the changes includes the introduction of the Gold Cup, focused on increasing the accessibility of the sport and providing a pathway to the highest level of competition.

Coming 2024, the Gold Cup is an opportunity for riders to earn their spot at Diamond Level competition as they battle their way to the top of the Gold Cup Standings. With the goal of providing riders a clear progression path to the pinnacle of the Slopestyle discipline, the Gold Cup becomes an entryway into the coveted Crankworx FMBA Slopestyle World Championship (SWC).

Encompassing all FMB sanctioned Gold Level events within the current season, here’s how the Gold Cup will work:

• Athletes will be ranked based on their overall Gold Event scores. For seasons with five or fewer Gold Events, the ranking will be determined by an athlete’s top three results, increasing to the best four results for seasons with six or more Gold Events.

• All athletes holding an FMB World Tour license are included in the Gold Cup standings, with the top athlete in the final Gold Cup standings securing a prequalification to enter all Crankworx FMBA Slopestyle World Championship (SWC) events of the following season.

• The next three highest-ranking athletes earn coveted “Golden Tickets” for guaranteed entry to a Crankworx FMBA SWC event in the next season. Following the allocation, athletes can select one of the SWC events based on their overall Gold Cup standing, with the highest-ranking athlete earning the privilege to choose first. Notably, the selection process will exclude the last SWC event of the season, adding an extra layer of excitement and anticipation for the chosen competitors.

• This opportunity applies to the men’s and women's category, requiring a minimum of three Gold Level events in the category per FMB calendar year.

More details can be found in the updated FMB World Tour Rule Book.


Also coming 2024 will be the introduction of LiveHeats as comprehensive member management platform, serving as a hub for rankings, standings, event submissions, calendars, result submissions, and live scoring. Additionally, the updated FMB World Tour Rule Book will introduce a streamlined athlete invitation process, establishing event deadlines for both event organizers and eligible athletes at Silver, Gold, and Diamond Levels or those returning from injury.

While the FMB National Series and FMB Amateur Cup Standings will be phased out, athletes can still acquire an FMB Amateur license for access to Bronze Level events. Event organizers previously hosting FMB National Series events are encouraged to continue these as individually sanctioned events integrated into the FMBA LiveHeats platform.


Another groundbreaking update has been announced recently: the introduction of a women's category at all levels, including Gold and Diamond Level events. Reflecting the FMBA's commitment to fostering the development of women in freeride mountain biking, this move opens up new avenues for female athletes to shine at the highest levels of the sport. With four Crankworx FMBA SWC Diamond Events already confirmed to include a dedicated women's category, the stage is set for an exhilarating showcase of talent.


Anticipation is growing as the 2024 FMB World Tour calendar will be revealed soon! The FMB World Tour is set to kick off the new year in the Southern Hemisphere. Stay tuned for the preliminary calendar release in February and get ready for the first confirmed events in early 2024:

• January 20: Queenstown Bike Festival (NZL)
• March 24: Maxxis Slopestyle in Memory of McGazza (NZL)

You can find all details about the updates made, as well as the updated version of the FMB World Tour Rule Book here.