Freeride becomes a separate discipline within the international skiing and snowboarding federation (FIS).
Freeride is a branch where athletes ride off-piste, from the top to the bottom of a mountain, in as stylish a way as possible, on skis or a snowboard. It is a judging sport, where factors such as line choice, control, technique, and jumps determine who wins.
He competed himself for 20 years and took a world championship title, before hanging up his skis last spring. The sport now becoming an official part of the international skiing and snowboarding federation comes as no surprise to the active athletes.
The sport now becoming a separate branch within FIS is seen as positive. He describes Sweden as a prominent nation, with several world championship medalists and a large annual competition in Riksgränsen.
In freeride, riders can be seen descending through gorges and performing tricks from cliffs and rocks.
In the horizon, even the Olympics are looming, if FIS gets what it wants from the 2030 Olympics.
Pernilla Bonde, secretary general of the Swedish Ski Association, has been on site in Reykjavik where the FIS meeting was held. Now, freeride will also become the Swedish federation's twelfth branch.
