WINTER2017
MLBLUE
93
Canyouexplainwhatbigmountain freeskiing is?
They give you a big section of the mountain
and you choose how difficult a line you want to
take, how steep it is, how big the cliffs are. You
get scored on how easy youmake it look, how
fast you do it, how difficult the line actually is
and you get extra points for tricks, style and
technique. You also get scored on howwell you
actually skied it. It’s open to interpretation like
any judged sport. Sometimes it doesn't go the
way you want it to but it’s somuch fun that it
doesn’t really matter.
Howdidyoufirst stumble into thesport?
While I was in school, my friend Katemessaged
me and said there was a bigmountain comp at
Lake Louise and that I should join her. I had just
quit moguls and I wasn’t really into competing
but she assuredme it was just for fun. As soon
as we arrived, I could see she was right. Wemet
some other skiers and they took us under their
wing. They showed us how to choose lines,
where the judges would be standing, pointed
out which lines they’d be skiing. They helped us
choose everything—which was amazing. Coming
frommoguls, there’s just not the same kind
of support. I ended up coming second in the
competition and I got a shotski as my trophy
(
laughs
). It was a whole shift inmindset and
dynamics for me.
So Iguessasecondat yourfirst eventwas
motivating?Whathappenednext?
I went on to another event at Castle Mountain
and that one was a FreerideWorld Tour
qualifier. I face-planted that one (
laughs
) and
then the next winter a guy I’dmet suggested I
come to an event in Colorado. We also travelled
down to NewMexico and opportunities started
coming up. I’d face-plant one competition, win
one and then place in the middle of the pack.
Last year youwon theFreerideWorldTour
qualifier series.Tell usabout that.
I’d done the whole circuit the last two years
but with the changing weather conditions, we’d
have five scheduled events and two would get
cancelled. For the qualifying tour, they take your
best three results and when you only have three
competitions you don’t get a throwaway. Last
year, we had five events. I had two throwaways
so they took my two wins and a second and
that was enough. It just all came together and I
was a lot more consistent inmy skiing anyway
last year. I finished first at Revelstoke, first
at Kicking Horse, second in NewMexico, fifth
in Colorado and twelfth inWashington. They
take eleven girls from the whole world. In the
previous years, they’ve taken the top two from
each region but this year they only took one. I
had to be first in NorthAmerica to get to go on
the Tour—and I ended up being ranked first in
the world (
laughs
).
That’squiteanaccomplishment. Itmust feel
surreal?
It’s a dream I never knew I had until it
happened. Maybe a year ago, I started to think
that would be cool tomake theWorld Tour.
At the beginning of this season at Revelstoke
I was tellingmy buddy that theWorld Tour
seemed so intense and I didn’t even know if I’d
want to go if I got invited. But he said when
you’re 70 and sitting in your rocking chair, it will
be a great story to tell your grandkids. I realized
he was right. And then it happened.
“At thebeginningof thisseason Iwas tellingmybuddy that theWorld
Tour seemedso intenseand I didn’t evenknow if I’dwant togo. But
hesaidwhenyou’re70andsitting inyour rocking chair, itwill bea
great story to tell your grandkids. I realizedhewas right…”
TOP LEFT&ABOVE
At JacksonHole,WY. CYWHITLING
