Behind two-time Freeride World Tour champion skier Angel Collinson‘s transition to full-send water woman.
From Freeride Podiums to Life on the Water
Utah-based Angel Collinson is a former pro big-mountain skier and one of the most influential female athletes in the sport. Raised near Snowbird, the 35-year-old grew up immersed in the mountains and transitioned from ski racing to freeride comps in her late teens.
She quickly rose to prominence on the Freeride World Tours, earning top finishes and building a reputation for powerful, fluid skiing in steep, technical terrain. She became a fearless breakout star in ski films with Teton Gravity Research, and in 2015 made history as the first woman to win “Best Line” at the Powder Awards.
Known for pushing gender boundaries in a male-dominated discipline, Collinson helped redefine what women’s big-mountain skiing could look like. After several close calls, she retired from pro skiing in 2021, shifting her focus toward sailing, environmental interests and creative pursuits beyond snow.
“I was hungry for more of the world and wanted to sail the open seas—a childhood dream,” she said in an interview on the Astral blog. “The life pivot came in 2019. I met my now-partner, Pete, a sailor. We bought a boat a month later. I technically retired in 2021 and sailed around the world for two years. Now, I’m still figuring out what the hell I’m doing with my life, but I’ve moved into leading transformational, nature-based retreats and working with people in experiences.”
That evolution is part of why Astral (maker of amphibious footwear and tech gear) brought her in as an Archetype. The company has long pursued a design philosophy built around minimal-impact materials, and Collinson’s current lifestyle, living close to the elements, gives them a different kind of testing ground than a typical athlete partnership would.
“It’s very clear that Angel is the complete package,” said Cooper Lambla, the brand’s head of marketing: “Elite-level performance, curiosity, artistry, humility, a remarkable perspective and a strong connection with nature.”
Shared Values, Minus the Spin
Collinson, for her part, describes the brand as “highly creative, slightly eccentric… and most importantly to me: they truly, truly give a damn. That makes me so stoked to work with them.”
“I feel like these days we see a lot of greenwashing,” she adds. “Performative slogans to win public favour, meanwhile cutting corners in the background. So much of the ethos of Astral and my personal ethos are remarkably aligned.”
“I feel like these days we see a lot of greenwashing…Performative slogans to win public favour, meanwhile cutting corners in the background.”
Looking Ahead: A “Water Woman” Chapter
For Astral, the upside is pretty clear: Collinson is not only experienced in high-performance environments but is also actively redefining what that looks like, moving from peak performance to a more reflective relationship with the outdoors. For Collinson, the partnership a chance to stay connected to gear design while continuing to explore what she calls life as a “water woman.” “I can’t wait to see where asking big questions, telling inspiring stories and getting eccentric and creative will lead.”
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