BC WINTER GAMES
Freestyle Skiing
The BC Winter Games feature athletes ages 11-16 who will compete in moguls, slopestyle and big air.
In the mogul events, athletes navigate a steep course of bumps or moguls and fly over two jumps performing aerial maneuvers. Marks are awarded for the technical quality of the skiers’ turns, the two aerial maneuvers, and speed. 2014 was the first time slopestyle was part of the BC Games. This event showcases athletes making their way through a course of obstacles including rails, jumps, and other terrain park features. Points are awarded for amplitude, originality, and quality of tricks.
The BC Freestyle Ski Association is the organization responsible for the sport in the province. Notable alumni include Kristi Richards of Summerland (1995 BC Winter Games), who was a member of the national mogul team for 11 years and competed at the 2006 and 2010 Olympic Winter Games.
Freestyle skiing consists of the well known disciplines of moguls and aerials but also includes halfpipe, slopestyle, big air, and free-skiing.
Freestyle skiing began on mountain slopes around the world as skiers pushed the limits of skiing. Sun Valley, Idaho was a hotbed of this new sport and hosted the first US Freestyle Championships in 1973. The sport was officially recognized by the International Ski Federation in 1979 and was added as a demonstration sport for the 1988 Olympics with moguls earning full status in 1992 and aerials in 1994. The exciting disciplines of halfpipe and slopestyle were an Olympic sport for the first time in 2014.
