Overview
Freestyle skiing is a dynamic winter sport featuring a combination of youthfulness, innovation and excitement. From 1952 Olympic alpine skiing medalist Stein Eriksen, who pioneered freestyle skiing before it was called freestyle skiing and performed flips on skis during demonstrations in the 1950′s, to 2010 Olympic medallist Alex Bilodeau and the recent addition of Slopestyle and Halfpipe disciplines, freestyle skiing has always pushed the limits of skiing by being “free” from tradition and inherently creative. Freestyle skiing was a demonstration sport during the 1988 Calgary Winter Olympic Games. Moguls and Aerials were added to the official programme of the Winter Olympics at the 1992 Olympic Winter Games in Albertville, France. The disciplines of Ski Halfpipe and Ski Slopestyle will make their debut as official Olympic events at the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.
Freestyle skiing takes place in communities all across Canada, in over 70 locations in 9 provinces and territories. Thousands of Canadian families incorporate freestyle skiing into the winter family activities and participate in the CFSA’s Can Freestyle development programs.
Canadian freestyle skiers have blazed a trail of “Firsts” in skiing:
- Jean Luc Brassard was the first Canadian male skier to win an Olympic Gold medal when he won the Olympic Men’s Mogul competition in Lillehammer in 1994;
- Former Canadian Freestyle Ski Team member Mike Douglas, the “Godfather of Freeskiing” led a group of young Canadian freestyle skiers to create “new school” free skiing that now includes ski halfpipe and ski slopestyle;
- Mike Douglas is directly involved with the creation of the first twin-tip ski, the Salomon 1080;
- Alex Bilodeau was the first Canadian to win a gold medal on home soil when he scored gold during the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics in Men’s Moguls.
National Sport Organization:
Canadian Freestyle Ski Association
MISSION
The mission of the CFSA is to sustain a system that produces Olympic and World Champions in all disciplines of freestyle skiing in a safe and ethical manner.
VISION
The CFSA’s vision is BUILDING PEOPLE, TRAINING ATHLETES, DELIVERING CHAMPIONS.
OFFICIAL DISCIPLINES
Moguls, Aerials, Ski Halfpipe and Ski Slopestyle
For further information visit www.freestyleski.com