Breaking Barriers: Women in Freeride Skiing & Snowboarding

Freeride skiing and snowboarding, disciplines celebrated for their raw, untamed beauty and challenging terrain, have historically been male-dominated sports. Women were integrated into competitions at the same time as men, but often faced unequal treatment and fewer opportunities to showcase their skills. However, in recent years, the tide is slowly shifting as more women take their place in this exhilarating world. Yet, the journey to true equality is far from over. Barriers persist at every level, from access to training and visibility to institutional and societal norms. This article delves into the current challenges faced by women in freeride skiing and snowboarding, explores the strides being made by the FWT, and highlights the ongoing efforts to foster inclusivity and gender parity.

The Barriers: A Closer Look

1. Fewer Women in the Sport's Lower Pyramid

The journey to becoming a professional freerider starts at the grassroots level, yet the base of the pyramid remains disproportionately male. Last year, girls represented only 26% of participants in FWT Juniors competitions, a figure that dropped to 24% in the FWT Qualifiers. With limited support and cultural norms often discouraging women from pursuing extreme sports, the pipeline of talent becomes significantly narrower long before reaching the upper tiers of competition.

2. Structural Gaps in Training and Academies

Freeride academies, which often serve as launchpads for aspiring athletes, are still predominantly geared toward male participants. Women who do join frequently lack female coaches or peers, making it harder to find mentors and role models.

3. The Importance of All-Female Crews

Non-mixed crews and female-only sessions have proven crucial for fostering confidence and skill development. These “safe spaces” allow women to share experiences, push boundaries, and prepare to compete on equal footing with male counterparts.

4. Limited and Often Sexualized Media Representation in the past

Women freeriders receive significantly less media coverage than men. When they do make headlines, the narrative often focuses on their appearance rather than their athletic achievements. This skewed visibility perpetuates stereotypes and discourages young women from seeing freeride as a viable path.

5. Challenges in Securing Sponsorships

Financial support is the lifeline of any competitive athlete. Yet, For the most part, women in freeride struggle more than men to secure sponsors and often receive smaller contracts. This lack of financial backing not only limits their ability to train and compete but also reinforces the disparity in opportunities.

6. Backlash and Bias

Even as women push boundaries, they still encounter backlash from certain segments of the freeride community. These challenges are reminiscent of the struggles faced by female snowboarders when the sport first gained popularity among women. Both overt and unconscious biases persist, continuing to create barriers that hold women back from reaching their full potential.

Initiatives Driving Change: A Deep Dive

The Freeride World Tour, as a leading organization and major circuit in the world of freeride, recognizes its responsibility to support women in the sport and help them overcome the barriers they face. While we acknowledge that we are far from perfect and have room for improvement, we are committed to taking meaningful steps. To this end, the FWT has adopted a proactive strategy that includes initiatives focused on structural support, representation, visibility, and advocacy, aiming to promote gender parity in freeride skiing and snowboarding.

Supporting Women-Only Projects and Events

As discussed earlier, women-only freeride initiatives are essential for creating safe spaces where female athletes can develop and thrive without the pressures or biases often present in mixed-gender settings. These initiatives provide an environment that allows women to concentrate fully on building their skills, boosting their confidence, and fostering a sense of camaraderie.

• Dedicated Camps and Clinics: Programs led by athletes like Marion Haerty, Noémie Equy and Tiphanie Perrotin create environments where women of all levels can refine their freeride techniques. These camps provide not only technical training but also invaluable mentorship, fostering a supportive and empowering network of female freeriders. This year, the FWT is funding three 100% women-focused freeride camps: the Sister Camp by Noémie Equy, Level Up by Marion Haerty, and Find Your Line by Tiphanie Perrotin.
• Freerid’Her: The Freerid’her is a 100% women-focused competition for the FWT Qualifier and FWT Junior series. Open to all skill levels, the event goes beyond being just a competition. It includes a range of activities, and professional athletes are present to engage with participants. Last year, 67 women participated in this unique event and were thrilled to connect with other female freeriders and exchange perspectives on various aspects of the sport from a female viewpoint. This year, the event will take place in Verbier on January 4th and 5th, with Elisabeth Gerritzen, the FWT Ski Women Champion of 2021, gracing the occasion as the ambassador of this edition.

• Freeride Women Days: Freeride Women Days is an initiative launched by Freeride World Tour, Peak Performance and Recco designed to inspire and empower women to explore the world of freeriding. Introduced alongside every Freeride World Tour Pro event since 2023, this initiative grants the privilege to six women at each stop to live an incredible experience: Ride with a mountain guide, learn about safety, train their freeride skills and enjoy a day outside full of surprises. Ski pass, lunch and everything else is offered by FWT, Peak Performance and Recco. For this event in particular, the majority of the staff is female, including the photographer, videographer, patrollers, one mountain guide, and one judge, further emphasizing the initiative’s dedication to fostering female representation both on and off the slopes.

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Increasing Female Representation in Event Staffing

Diversity behind the scenes is just as crucial as diversity on the slopes. By integrating more women into event organization, we believe we can create a ripple effect that uplifts female athletes while inspiring more women to join the sport. This approach not only ensures greater representation but also fosters an environment where women feel empowered to participate and excel.

• Staff Representation: Women now represent 42% of the staff in the FWT this year. While this is not yet a perfect balance, we are aware of the gap and are committed to continual improvement. This figure has been steadily increasing year after year, up from 33% last year. This growing gender balance ensures that the unique perspectives and needs of female athletes are better understood, respected, and addressed in all aspects of the organization.

• FWT Judges: Having female judges is essential for the growth and development of the sport. Last year, out of 184 judges, only 22% were women—a number we believe is far too low. To address this, we launched a 100% women-focused workshop this year, which saw an incredible response, with 40 women stepping forward for training. As a result, we now have 82 women qualified to judge competitions this season. This progress not only increases representation but also ensures that the judging panel reflects the diversity of the athletes themselves, contributing to fairer and more inclusive representation in FWT competitions.

Promoting Female Visibility

Visibility is a powerful tool for dismantling stereotypes and encouraging new generations of athletes. The Freeride World Tour is committed to spotlighting female athletes in meaningful and authentic ways, with the goal of increasing their screen presence and establishing them as true ambassadors and inspirational role models. This visibility not only motivates freeride enthusiasts to compete but also helps address barriers to accessing the mountains.

By amplifying the visibility of female freeriders, the FWT aims to not only grow participation in competitions but also inspire a cultural shift that makes mountain sports more accessible to everyone.

• This year, we introduced new formats that place greater focus on athlete profiles, particularly female freeriders. Initiatives like the Riders Spotlight aim to highlight the unique journeys and achievements of athletes in freeride skiing and snowboarding. Out of the 11 episodes produced this season, five feature female athletes, showcasing their contributions to the sport. While this represents progress in increasing visibility for women, it is also a reminder that there is still more work to do to achieve equal representation. The goal is not just to highlight female athletes but to ensure that their presence becomes a natural and consistent part of the narrative, inspiring future generations and normalizing their visibility in freeride sports.

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• Role Models for Future Generations: By amplifying the stories of trailblazers like Elisabeth Gerritzen and Marion Haerty, these efforts inspire the next wave of freeriders. Younger athletes like Astrid Cheylus, Manon Loschi or Noémie Equy are already benefiting from the visibility and pathways carved by these pioneers. In turn, these rising stars are becoming role models for the next generation of freeriders.

Embedding Gender Equality into FWT Strategy

Achieving gender parity requires institutional commitment, and the FWT has made gender equality a strategic priority. This approach ensures that the issue is addressed consistently across all levels of the organization. Several initiatives have been implemented, proving their effectiveness in fostering inclusivity. Here’s a closer look at one of the most impactful initiatives:

• Gender Equality Task Force for annual improvements: The FWT’s Gender Equality Task Force plays a pivotal role in identifying and addressing key challenges each year. These challenges span across various domains, including athletic development, communication strategies, and organizational governance. One of the significant steps taken was the introduction of a minimum participant requirement for each competition category. This measure was implemented to protect categories like Snowboard Women, ensuring their viability even with smaller participation numbers.

Tackling Discrimination and Ensuring Accountability

Creating a safe and equitable environment goes beyond promoting participation. The FWT is also addressing discrimination and ensuring accountability at all levels.

• FWT Equaline, anonymous hotline for reporting discrimination: This initiative allows FWT athletes and participants to report gender-based discrimination or harassment at sanctioned FWT events without fear of retaliation.
• Cultural shifts through education: By promoting awareness of gender issues within the freeride community, the FWT is gradually changing entrenched attitudes and fostering a more inclusive culture.

Supporting Athletes Financially and Professionally

Access to resources and sponsorships is critical for athletes to excel in freeride skiing. To cultivate professional athletes who can dedicate themselves fully to the sport without the necessity of supplementary employment, it's essential to provide substantial financial support. This support comes not only from prize money earned during competitions but, more importantly, through sponsorships from brands. We take pride in the fact that our competitions have enabled talented women to realize their full potential, leading to sponsorship opportunities. A prime example is Lena Köhler, who distinguished herself in the FWT Qualifier series and ascended to the Pro Tour this year. She has since become a sponsored athlete for Peak Performance and Mammut, further enhancing her visibility in the sport.

Raising the Bar to Have More Women in Competition

Providing women with opportunities to train on ensures they can compete at the highest levels. Encouraging more women to participate in competitions is a key goal, as it not only increases the number of participants but ultimately raises the overall level of competition.

This is why it’s so important to create events that encourage women to participate. For example, at last year’s Freerid’her event, 80% of the women who signed up were competing in freeride for the very first time in their lives. These kinds of initiatives not only provide a welcoming entry point for newcomers but also help demystify the competitive freeride world, making it more accessible and less intimidating for women who might otherwise hesitate to join.

• Leveling the Playing Field: As more women train in these rigorous environments, the overall level of competition rises, proving that equality benefits the sport as a whole.

The Fruits of These Efforts

These initiatives are not only closing the gender gap but also driving significant results. Since 2022, women’s participation across all FWT divisions (FWT Junior, Qualifier, Challenger and Pro) has increased by an impressive 93.6%. This progress demonstrates the impact of intentional action and paves the way for a freeride future where gender parity is the norm.

The FWT community’s commitment to inclusivity is reshaping the sport, fostering a culture where women are supported, celebrated, and empowered to reach their full potential. Through strategic initiatives, institutional change, and grassroots efforts, the mountains are becoming a space where everyone—regardless of gender—can explore, compete, and thrive.

Sources

Sandy Plas, 2024, Quelle est la place des femmes dans le cinéma de montagne ?

Azaïs Perronin, 2024, Noémie Equy, championne de snowboard freeride : incarner le rôle modèle