Freeskiing
Jesper Tjäder takes on an Open Loop rail in a freeski world first
Never confined and always inventive Swedish freeskier Jesper Tjäder has taken yet another step in what is possible when it comes to creating innovative ski features. All hail the Open Loop rail.
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Jesper Tjäder is used to sliding along rails both right side up and upside down and has become famous for being a progressive force within the ski world. Always thinking outside the box, Tjäder has created some of the most stunning, fun and boundary-pushing rail features ever seen. And, not surprisingly, he's back again. This time with the brand new feature: the Open Loop.
By landing the world’s first Open Loop rail, Tjäder once again brings his creative flair and innovative mindset to the world of winter sports. What does it take to come up with such an idea and how hard is it execute? Here’s the story behind the trick.
The man himself in front of his creation
© Judith Bergström
It feels amazing to clear this rail. It's been on my mind for almost nine years, so yeah, it’s a good feeling
Want to see more of Tjäder's insane rail creations? Check out Red Bull Unrailistic, a ski event where the world’s top park skiers compete on never before seen rail features, most of which comes straight out of Tjäder's own imagination, takes place on April 25-26, 2024. You can watch the final day action on TV4 Play.
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It was 9 years in the making…
In 2016 Tjäder landed the world’s first Loop rail and an idea sprang to mind: what if you remove the top section of the loop? It would look pretty cool. The idea of the Open Loop was born.
However, other things got priority in Tjäder's life. Like creating his viral edit Unrailistic 2.0, grabbing bronze in the Winter Games in Beijing, breaking the world record for longest ever rail grind on skis, and making his very own Red Bull Unrailistic competition come to life. To name a few. So, his Open Loop idea got put to one side, brewing nicely in the back of his mind for nine years.
Tjäder nailing the world's first rail loop back in 2016
© Sverre Hjornevik
Fast forward to 2024 and Tjäder decides to spice things up
© Judith Bergström
When you see something come to life that's been in your mind for 9 years
© Judith Bergström
02
… but only took one day and 42 attempts to land
In early 2024, it was time to let his nine year old dream become reality. Once Tjäder brought his Open Loop idea back to the forefront of his mind it quickly came to life and, even quicker, became yet another feature ticked off his accomplishment list. In a little over two hours, Tjäder landed the Open loop on his 42nd attempt.
Jesper Tjäder: “When I started trying out the regular loop in 2016 it was so hard to have contact on the top of the rail, and so I though it would be easier almost if it was a gap. Since then, it's been on my mind.”
Let's see...
© Judith Bergström
... if it works this time?
© Judith Bergström
Nope! Let's try again
© Judith Bergström
The word "easier” should be taken with a pinch of salt when it comes from Tjäder's mouth. Most of his tricks have taken days, and sometimes even years, to complete. So, when a trick only takes a day and 41 failed attempts it suddenly seems completely reasonable.
Tjäder again: “In the end, it was both easier and harder than I thought because I didn't think I was going to slip out that many times. That was probably the hardest part, not slipping out, because when you land on the second part of the feature it's a transition right away, so you've got to be super on it. But at the same time, I came close to nailing it many times. It's hard to say, each attempt was a unique feeling," he says.
As crazy as it sounds, 42 attempts is not that much for Tjäder
© Judith Bergström
Still feels pretty good to clear it, ey?
© Judith Bergström
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The 2nd rail was removed for practice
Åre on a rare blue bird day is pretty magical
© Judith Bergström
In fact, Tjäder had few practice rounds before attempting the full feature. A couple days before, half the feature was put in place so that he could practice the first part of the loop on the rail and then get a feeling for how the second part would run without it actually being there. Instead there was a big pile of snow which gave him a softer and much-less consequential landing. Tjäder marked where he needed to land by putting out two ropes in the snow and then proceeded to attempt to land sideways, in-between the ropes.
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There will always be a hiccup or two
All in all, nailing this brand new feature went pretty smoothly, but there were a few hiccups along the way. First, the infamous Åre weather, known to be temperamental, delayed the production by about a week. A big storm came rolling in and with insane winds and no way to even get to the production site, there was nothing the crew could do but wait it out.
When the weather finally cleared up, everything was good to get going, right? Well, yes until the second big hiccup came along. The power unit for the whole production set-up ran out of fuel putting everything on hold. Luckily, creativity was on point and the crew decided to roll over one of the scooters they had rented, empty its fuel and pour it into the power unit instead. Filming on a mountain always requires a hint of creative thinking.
Tjäder doing Tjäder things
© Judith Bergström
Sometimes a smile says more than a thousand words
© Judith Bergström
Perfection at last
© Judith Bergström
All in all, the project didn’t have too much adversity come its way and it was a huge success by the end of the first day of filming. What more could you ask for? Tjäder sums it all up: “It feels amazing to clear this rail. It's been on my mind for almost nine years, so yeah, it’s a good feeling”.
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