A combination of freeride and freestyle skiing makes the Red Bull Linecatcher backcountry event one of a kind. Aussie rider Chris Booth give us the essential guide to the sport...
Seeing how the land lies…
"We check out the face before the competition and hike up there, all following the same track. We can analyse what we want to do, figure out our line. It is really important that we check out the mountain as we need to know exactly where things are in terms of the face, how big things are and how they connect and also the volume of the snow and the landings. If there’s some wind effect, then it’s going to affect it and we need to look out for any rocks hidden below the surface. You need to memorise all of that so when you’re doing the run you can anticipate what’s ahead of you because you won’t be able to see."
Mind over matter…
"Despite how it may appear to the everyday viewer, this sport and this very niche corner of skiing is, of course, very physical, but, perhaps more importantly, it’s also very intellectual. You have to really rely on your analysis and keep your head together when everyone else is losing theirs."
All about technique…
"To navigate a very difficult face and to do freestyle tricks within it is very technical. You’ve got to know what you’re doing and it’s more than just knowing where you’re going, it’s also about how fast to approach things and when to slow down. You have to think about every single element to get down in one piece."
It's a man’s world…
It is definitely a male-dominated sport but I can’t really explain why. Maybe it’s something to do with the fact that backcountry freeride skiing is really a mountain sport and you’re often exposed to dangerous elements, you have to walk a lot and you’re outside all the time. There are a lot of girls who do halfpipe and other freestyle skiing but, yes, this side of it does seem to be more of a man’s world."
The next level…
"What we’re doing here is pushing the idea of freestyle and it’s changing the context. We're adding new degrees of difficulty to it to create a new sport that’s much more reliant on nature and working with what the mountain can provide you with, while giving something back to the mountain in some way."
Know your environment…
"This is definitely true and is important. It’s what we call having a ‘feel’ for the mountain and that only comes with spending a lot of time out here."
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