SNX TÜRKIYE : FIM SNOWCROSS WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP SET FOR RIZE HANDÜZÜ
Rize Handüzü (Türkiye) 7 January 2026 – The starting event of the 2026 FIM Snowcross World Championship, SNX Türkiye, one of the most prestigious events in extreme winter sports, will be held in Rize Handüzü with the collaboration and support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Türkiye, the Rize Governorship, and the Turkish Motorcycling Federation.
The championship, which will feature the world’s best snowcross athletes, will take place from January 31 to February 1 in Rize Handüzü, one of Türkiye’s emerging destinations for sports tourism.
The media presentation, held at the Radisson Collection Hotel in Istanbul, was attended by Rize Deputy Governor Abdullah Kurt, Güneysu Mayor Rıfat Özer, Ahmet Temurci, General Director of International Organizations and Foreign Relations at the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Türkiye, Daniele Rizzi, COO of Infront Moto Racing, and Mehmet Sadık Vefa, President of the Turkish Motorcycling Federation, along with federation officials and members of the press.
A Significant Event in Türkiye’s Sports Tourism Vision
The SNX Türkiye World Snowmobile Championship is among the most important international sports events hosted by Türkiye as part of its promotional and sports tourism strategy. Considered one of the world’s most prestigious extreme winter sports competitions by the International Motorcycling Federation (FIM), the championship will return to Türkiye in 2026 with the support of the Ministry of Youth and Sports of the Republic of Türkiye, the Rize Governorship, and the Turkish Motorcycling Federation. As the first world championship of 2026, the event will take place in Rize for the first time, in the high-altitude natural landscape of the Black Sea region.
The World’s Best Snowcross Athletes Meet in Handüz
Held at Rize’s Handüzü Plateau from January 31 to February 1, SNX Türkiye will welcome approximately 30 elite athletes from 12 countries, including Finland, Sweden, Norway, Germany, Estonia, Canada, and the USA. Athletes will compete in both men’s and women’s categories, delivering top-level snowcross action while attracting winter sports enthusiasts and nature lovers to Handüzü’s striking natural scenery.
SNX serves as a strategic example of the Ministry of Youth and Sports’ vision to expand sports tourism throughout all 12 months of the year, diversify international sports destinations, and strengthen Türkiye’s global sports brand. Broadcast live worldwide on television, digital platforms, and social media, the SNX Türkiye World Snowmobile Championship will significantly enhance Türkiye’s international visibility. Hosted at the Handüzü Plateau, located at nearly 2,000 meters above sea level with close access to the city center and existing accommodation infrastructure, the event benefits from the Black Sea region’s rare geography—where dense snow conditions meet the sea—creating a unique sporting and visual experience for athletes, spectators, and visitors.
