Words : Stéphanie Major, editor at Altitude Sports
Translation : Reilly Doucet, editor at Altitude Sports

Organized by ESTSKI, the event’s mission is to support the growth of Eastern Canada's freeride scene. The Altitude Sports team helped kick off the circuit while attending the competition in Mont Édouard on January 29, 2022. Here's a peek into the extreme world of freeriding, as told by snowboarder Ariane Goulet.

I got my start in the mountains of Innsbruck, in Austria. I found myself amid a group of experienced freeriders who encouraged me to sign up for my first freeride competition. I’m really not that competitive, but I slowly let myself get drawn into this scary and fascinating world. My background is quite varied: I’ve done snowboard cross and giant slalom, for example. This really allowed me to stand out and helped me get to the qualifying stages of the Freeride World Tour (FWT). In my second year of competition, I shared first place in the American qualification circuit - something I never imagined I’d be capable of! 

Our volunteer team has been working with ski resorts and the International Freeskiers and Snowboarders Association (IFSA) for two years now. The IFSA is the organization that coordinates the sport in the Americas, and after several events in Western Canada and the Eastern United States, it wanted to see the sport develop in Eastern Canada. Through working with the association, we’ve built a Quebec team that’s able to offer events that adhere to the FWT international qualification system. This year’s event will be the first time a local athlete can climb the freedride ladder without having to hop on a plane!

The concept of freeriding is simple: a starting point, a finishing point, and a mountain face. There is no time limit and no alteration of the terrain - the athletes must use the existing terrain and its natural obstacles. The goal is to impress the judges.

Athletes are judged on five criteria: line choice, movement control, fluidity, technique, and style. They earn points based on the obstacles chosen, number of jumps, sequence of jumps, and the execution quality of the entire run.

The more an athlete participates in major competitions (3-star and 4-star competitions), and the closer they get to the podium, the more points they earn. But it’s important to note, however, that not all skiers can participate in all events. For the higher caliber events, you must be invited after having obtained points in smaller events. This year, we are offering three 2-star events in Quebec. This is a great gateway into FWT circuits for our local athletes!

I believe the future is full of possibilities. We hope to see the circuit develop further to include more resorts and especially to go more off-piste. There is a lot of potential, and we are hopeful that our athletes will make their mark here and internationally.

Finding good locations is a lot of work. We have to explore the territory during the summer season, ask for permits, etc. Fortunately, the Fédération Québécoise de la Montagne et de l'Escalade (FQME) works with many local organizations to open new off-trail areas throughout the province.

Somewhere in Japan, or New Zealand. For me, it comes down to more than just the mountain: I want to experience a culture completely different from my own, and meet incredible skiers and people.