The Natural Selection Tour stands at the pinnacle of outdoor action sports events and experiences, bringing the world’s top riders together to showcase their skills on the most dynamic natural terrain. Founded by iconic pro snowboarder Travis Rice, these groundbreaking events push the boundaries of what competition can be in snowboarding, mountain biking, and more.Free from the constraints of man-made parks and halfpipes, Natural Selection Tour events take place in nature, where they started. Natural features are often enhanced, testing riders’ creativity, skill, and courage. The Tour utilizes cutting-edge, Emmy-nominated racing drone technology to capture the action in breathtaking detail, providing viewers with an immersive experience unlike anything else in action sports.
Big Sky Partners recognized the revolutionary potential of Rice’s vision early on and became a key investor in 2020. The venture capital firm’s support has been instrumental in bringing Natural Selection’s ambitious concept to life and helping establish it as the premier showcase for progression in action and outdoor sports.
The Natural Selection Tour traces its origins to Travis Rice’s lifelong passion and visionary approach to life. Born in 1982 in Jackson, Wyoming, Rice grew up immersed in snowboard culture and quickly established himself as one of the sport’s most talented and innovative riders. Throughout his decorated career, Rice has pushed the boundaries of what’s possible on a snowboard, from pioneering new tricks to redefining big mountain riding through groundbreaking film projects including Red Bull Media House’s “The Art of FLIGHT.”
As Rice’s career progressed, he became increasingly focused on creating a competitive format that would truly showcase the skills of the world’s best all-around snowboarders. Traditional contests, with their emphasis on highly technical but somewhat repetitive tricks performed on artificial features, failed to capture the essence of snowboarding that had first drawn Rice and his peers to the sport – the challenge and freedom of riding big, natural terrain.
In 2008, Rice organized the first iteration of his dream contest, dubbed “Natural Selection.” This invitation-only event brought together an elite group of riders to compete on specially prepared courses at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. While groundbreaking in its approach, this early version was ahead of its time in terms of logistical and technological capabilities.
Undeterred, Rice continued to refine his vision over the following years. He assembled a team of like-minded individuals, including longtime snowboard industry event veteran Liam Griffin, to help bring the concept to life on a grander scale. Their goal was to create not just a single event but a multi-stop tour that would crown the most versatile and skilled riders as the true champions of snowboarding.
In 2020, with support from key investors like Big Sky Ventures, Rice and his team were finally ready to launch the reimagined Natural Selection Tour. The inaugural season in 2021 featured three stops: Jackson Hole, Wyoming; Baldface Valhalla, British Columbia; and Tordrillo Mountain Lodge, Alaska. Each location offered a unique challenge, progressing from the freestyle-inspired natural terrain of Jackson to the biggest lines in the world, Alaska.
The Natural Selection Tour’s mission is to inspire people to forge a deeper relationship with Mother Nature. By moving beyond the confines of traditional contest venues, Natural Selection aims to capture the essence of sport – and the challenge and creativity of riding unorchestrated, natural terrain.
Natural Selection events are more than just competitions; they’re immersive experiences that celebrate action sport and mountain culture. In addition to the riding, each stop features art, musical performances, film, and opportunities for environmental education and advocacy. This holistic approach reflects Rice’s desire to create a tour that benefits the entire communities and mountain environments it depends on.
The Tour has quickly established itself as the most prestigious title in competitive snowboarding. Top riders from various specialties – X Games gold medalists, Olympians, and renowned backcountry specialists – all vie for a spot in the elite field. The diverse lineup ensures that Natural Selection crowns the most well-rounded snowboarders as its champions.
As it nears its fifth year anniversary, the Natural Selection Tour continues to evolve and expand. New locations, technological advancements, new sports, and format refinements ensure that the Tour remains at the forefront of progression in action and outdoor sports. With its commitment to showcasing the true essence of the sport in the most challenging natural arenas, Natural Selection has redefined what’s possible in competitive snowboarding and inspired a new generation of riders to push their limits.
Through these efforts, Natural Selection seeks to elevate the sports the Tour includes and foster a deeper connection between riders, fans, and the mountain environments they cherish.
As a lead investor, Big Sky Ventures has played a crucial role in the Natural Selection Tour. The thirst for the next generation X Games / Red Bull Media House is what captured early interest from Big Sky Partners founder Michael Schwab in early 2020 when Travis Rice reached out to him. Travis Rice recognized Big Sky Partner’s previous success with innovative action sports ventures like the Kelly Slater Wave Company, along with Schwab’s passion for adventure sports as a fan and a dedicated action sports athlete. Schwab immediately saw the potential in Rice’s vision and became an early investor in the tour, fueled by his passion for a next-generation action sports lifestyle and media company.
Big Sky Partners’ involvement went beyond mere financial backing. The firm’s expertise in scaling disruptive sports concepts proved invaluable as Natural Selection navigated the challenges of launching a global tour and unlocking new sports and locations. Brian Spitz, a partner at Big Sky Partners, helped fuel its network and resources to secure additional investors and strategic partners, accelerating the tour’s growth in web3 and with other media opportunities.
Perhaps most significantly, Big Sky’s support allowed Natural Selection to realize its ambitious production goals fully. The development of the tour’s signature follow-cam, racing drone technology, which has redefined how snowboarding is viewed, was largely made possible due to Big Sky’s investment. This revolutionary approach to capturing action sports has been key to Natural Selection’s rapid prominence in the competitive snowboarding landscape and garnered EMMY nominations.
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