Freeskiing
She wants to get more women shredding the park
Founder of GRAB Collective, Ella Lewander, on getting more women into the park, the current state of female freeskiing, and where it’s heading.
Female freeskiing is booming. Just a few years ago, the story looked very different. When Swedish creator and freeskier Ella Lewander was younger and dreamed of hitting the park, there were no girls in sight.
Today, she runs community-based events for female park riders of all ages and abilities, and the sport is growing rapidly, both at home and internationally.
Ahead of the slopestyle and rail competition Red Bull Unrailistic, we caught up with Ella to talk about her journey in freeskiing, the success of GRAB Collective, and her new role as a flying reporter.
Ella Lewander: content creator, copywriter and passionate freeskier
© Judith Bergström
Watch Ella’s debut as a flying reporter and catch some of the world’s best freeskiers at Red Bull Unrailistic on May 1st at 17:45 on Aftonbladet TV or Sportbladet's TikTok.
01
The freeskiing dream
Community, family and belonging. That’s what freeskiing is to Ella. It’s not just a sport, it’s a passion she wants to carry with her through life.
“Freeskiing is creativity and an outlet for energy. It’s a way to push yourself and grow,” she says.
Freesking is about creativty but also about pushing yourself
© Judith Bergström
She started hitting the park at 19, during her first ski season in Ramundberget. A long-time dream finally becoming reality.
“I had wanted to hit the park for so long but never had anyone to show me the ropes. I didn’t really have the confidence to go in alone since I never saw other girls there. In Ramundberget I found my way in and could finally live that dream.”
02
Why role models matter in the park
That’s the thing. Role models matter. Having a way into the sport matters. For Ella, it was a group of male friends who led the way. Today, she’s doing the same for others.
“If you don’t have someone guiding you into the sport, it can feel tough. But once you’re in, you realise it’s a super welcoming community. People are super supportive and stoked for each other.”
She continues: “I was still the only girl in the park, though, and that held me back. I was riding with guys who were ten times better than me and couldn’t relate to what they were doing. You need to recognise yourself in someone and that’s why role models are crucial for progression.”
Watching, learning, progressing
© Judith Bergström
Ella hosting a GRAB event in Åre ahead of Red Bull Unrailisitic
© Judith Bergström
You need to recognise yourself in someone and that’s why role models are crucial for progression.
03
GRAB Collective: community-based freeski events for female riders
That’s how GRAB Collective came about. Ella wanted to see more women in the park and decided to make it happen.
“I wanted to progress my own skiing and needed inspiration from other girls to dare to take the next step. There were plenty of cool snowboarding initiatives for women, but there was a gap on the freeski side.”
Community shredding
© Judith Bergström
She started GRAB Collective three years ago, and it’s been growing steadily ever since. Today, they host events not just in Sweden, but also internationally including Austria and Japan.
“It’s become more international, and we’re building bigger partnerships, which feels amazing,” she says. “When big players get involved, it means a lot. You really feel that freeskiing is being prioritised and pushed forward.”
04
The boom of female freeskiing
Looking at international competitions, it’s clear how much female freeskiing has progressed. The world’s best are pushing the level with bigger and more technical tricks than ever.
And that momentum is trickling down. More girls are hitting local parks, and more young talents are coming through.
“So much has happened, and it’s so cool to be part of it and see it unfold in real time,” Ella says.
The female freestyle scene is really being built from the ground up, and more girls are just casually getting into park skiing
That feeling of being part of a GRAB Collective event
© Judith Bergström
Looking ahead, she’s optimistic: “There will definitely be more girls riding park. Maybe not fifty-fifty, but we’re getting closer.”
“At the pro level, the level is already crazy, and it’s only going to keep progressing.”
There’s still a big gap between men and women in freeskiing today, but it’s closing.
“Right now, at events like Red Bull Unrailistic, there are only a couple of women in the start field. That shows how small the elite group still is. But it will grow. We’ll see more women coming through and stepping up. It’s going to be really fun to follow.”
Rail features are technical and tricky - and super fun!
© Judith Bergström
Today Ella has a huge community of female shredders around here
© Judith Bergström
05
Ella as a flying reporter at Red Bull Unrailistic
The technical and creative freeskiing event that is Red Bull Unrailistic brings together some of the world’s best freeskiers to compete on a course full of fun, creative and extremely technical rail features. The creative force behind it all is Swedish freeskier Jesper Tjäder, who is turning his hand-drawn ideas into real, rideable features.
This year, Ella steps into a new role as a flying reporter during the livestream.
“It’s super exciting. It’s a new step that aligns with how I want to develop. I’ve always had this childhood dream of becoming a TV reporter, so when I got the question, I just had to say yes.”
Jesper Tjäder taking the crew through the Red Bull Unrailistic course
© Judith Bergström
And doing it at Unrailistic makes it even better:
“It’s honestly one of the sickest events out there. I love that the focus is on rails and creativity. Jesper has created something really special. I also love the sustainability aspect of reusing features and finding new ways to ride them. . I think it’s very appreciated by the pro skiers to have this kind of community based competition that really celebrates freeskiing”.
Watch Ella’s debut as a flying reporter and catch some of the world’s best freeskiers at Red Bull Unrailistic on May 1 at 17:45 on Aftonbladet TV or Sportbladet TikTok.