Skiers, snowboarders ride for peace in Lebanon
One of the world's most extreme winter sporting events has held its first qualifying competition in Lebanon — a first for the country and region at large, putting the mountain on the global map.
Fifty skiers and snowboarders descended upon the backcountry of Lebanon’s Mzaar Ski Resort, the largest skiing resort in the Middle East and an hour's drive from Beirut, to take part in a world-class competition for extreme skiing and snowboarding in February.
The Freeride World Qualifier debuted its first ever event in the Middle East Feb. 17-18 at 1,400 meters (4,600 feet) above sea level. The winners included Lebanon’s very own Jad Ghosn, who placed first in men’s snowboarding, with Swedes Jonathan Johansson and Ellen Forsberg placing first in men’s skiing and women’s snowboarding, respectively. The trio will likely go on to compete in other qualifying events around the world with the goal of making it into the Freeride World Tour. The competition runs range in difficulty from one to four stars, with four stars being the most challenging. The events are typically held in world-class ski resorts such as Verbier and Nendaz in Switzerland) and Kicking Horse in British Columbia in Canada.
Lebanon, which suffered through a 1975-1990 civil war and has been profoundly affected by spillover from Syria's civil war, is often described in the foreign media as either a hotbed of religious extremism and sectarianism or the home of the wildest nightlife in the region.
Ride4Peace defies stereotypes by purposefully uniting skiers and snowboarders from around the world for a peaceful if exhilarating event in an area little known for its extreme sporting potential.
