Backcountry Access has signed on for a second year as the official snow safety sponsor and product supplier of the Natural Selection Tour. Brainchild of professional snowboarder Travis Rice, The Natural Selection Tour is an international snowboarding competition tour that showcases snowboarding’s top freeride and freestyle competitors in challenging big mountain terrain around the world. BCA’s Snow Safety product sponsorship will include Tracker™ avalanche beacons & rescue packages, Float avalanche airbags, Stash™ backpacks, BC Link radios, Dozer shovels, Stealth probes, and Snow Study tools. These products will be used during the event by athletes, event staff, production crew and snow safety teams as they follow comprehensive backcountry safety protocol.
BCA is supporting the Natural Selection Tour through the company’s drive to promote backcountry safety awareness and education. BCA products are developed by backcountry professionals and are an integral part of making the Natural Selection Tour come to life, safely. BCA products will be used for communicating in real time and competing in avalanche terrain in a safe manner.
The BCA brand pillars are built around functionality, confidence and discipline. BCA’s partnership with Natural Selection will help reinforce these brand values and showcase BCA products being used by riders and event crew in big mountain terrain as athletes compete safely at the highest level. BCA will also offer on-site backcountry awareness educational sessions at the Natural Selection Revelstoke basecamp throughout the event. These in-person sessions will be open to the public and will take place Friday 3/15 at 1pm and Saturday 3/16 1pm at the Revelstoke Mid Mountain Lodge – the Natural Selection Basecamp.
In 2024, two members of the BCA athlete team will participate in the Natural Selection Tour, including Winter X Games medalist Hana Beaman and backcountry snowboarder Blake Paul.
“The Natural Selection is a contest many have dreamt of and is truly reflective of modern freeride snowboarding. Backcountry Access is proud to be an integral part of making the Natural Selection Tour a reality and showcasing snowboarding at its highest level to the world. Partnering with Natural Selection is a perfect fit for BCA – with our deep connection to snowboarding and an opportunity to inspire others while reinforcing the importance of backcountry awareness, education, and safety.” – Brendan Murphey, BCA Sr. Marketing Manager
In Natural Selection 2024, snowboarders from around the globe will go head to head in competition in backcountry and sidecountry zones at Revelstoke Mountain Resort and the Selkirk Tangiers Heli Skiing tenure. The event that takes place from March 10-17, 2024, will be broadcast around the world.
“Producing events in steep, challenging avalanche terrain and with deep natural snow, safety is always very top of mind,” said Liam Griffin, COO of Natural Selection Tour. “A crucial part of that is making sure that everyone in the venue is equipped with proper avalanche safety gear and communication tools. BCA gear helps to ensure that NST is following backcountry protocol and producing the safest, while most exciting events possible.”