What is Freeride?

Big mountain freeride is a discipline of skiing & snowboarding that involves navigating challenging and varied terrain in natural, ungroomed, and often mountainous environments. Unlike traditional alpine riding, which typically takes place on groomed slopes, big mountain freeride focuses on exploring off-piste areas, including steep slopes, chutes, couloirs, and other challenging features.

Key characteristics of big mountain freeride include:

Natural Terrain: Riders in this discipline seek out natural features in the mountains, such as cliffs, rocks, powder fields, and other challenging terrain.

Variable Conditions: Freeriders often encounter a wide range of snow conditions, from deep powder to crusty or icy surfaces. This variability adds an element of unpredictability to the experience.

Minimal Grooming: Unlike groomed slopes found at ski resorts, big mountain freeride takes place in areas of a resort where the snow is left in its natural state, sometimes accessible only by hiking beyond lift serviced areas.

Risk and Skill: Negotiating challenging terrain requires a high level of skill, technical proficiency, and the ability to make quick decisions in response to changing conditions. There is an inherent element of risk, and safety precautions are crucial.

Competitive Events: Big mountain freeride is also the basis for competitive events known as freeride competitions. In these contests, riders are judged on their line choice, control, fluidity, technique, and style & energy as they navigate a specific venue.

My child wants to start competing. Where do I start?

Understand the IFSA: Familiarize yourself with the International Freeskiers and Snowboarders Association (IFSA). Visit the IFSA website to get information about the organization, event schedules, rules, and regulations. Familiarize yourself with the 2024 IFSA Junior Series Athlete Handbook with Junior Points Tables.

Membership: Visit the IFSA website to find information on how to become a member. An IFSA membership and a regional membership are required to register for events.

Connect with Local Freeride Communities: Join a local freeride program. These groups can provide valuable insights, training opportunities, and a supportive network for both you and your child. Please consult this list of Eastern Region teams.

Stay Informed About Events: Keep an eye on the IFSA event calendar. Plan to attend events in your region, and be aware of any specific qualifications needed to register for each competition.

Coach and Mentor: Consider finding a coach or mentor with experience in freeride skiing. A knowledgeable coach can provide guidance on training, strategy, and preparation for competitions.

Prepare for Competition: Ensure that your child is physically and mentally prepared for the challenges of freeride competitions. This includes developing a competition strategy, understanding the rules, and practicing their skills under various conditions.

Remember that the key to success in freeride competitions is a combination of skill, safety awareness, and a supportive community. Encourage your child to enjoy the process of learning and growing as a freeride skier, regardless of competition outcomes.

Please visit our Get Started page for information and visit the IFSA How to Start Freeriding page for more in-depth information.

What is the difference between ranking and seeding?

Ranking: Athletes have 52 weeks to accumulate points and maximize their Region 2 Ranking. In mid-April of each year, immediately following the Junior Freeride Championships, all Region 2 Athlete’s rankings are reset to zero, and a new competition year begins. An athlete’s ranking is the sum of their top three regular season finishes from their first four regular season competitions, and their JFC result.

Seeding: The Seeding List provides cumulative organization of one athlete over another, for the purpose of fair event registration. Seeding is different from ranking. An athletes’ seed consists of their top three point earning results from the previous 52 weeks, at the time of calculating the seed. Freeride utilizes a rolling seeding list, meaning that there is a perpetual addition of an athlete’s top 3 point earning results from the previous 52 weeks, no matter the calendar date on which seeding is being calculated or viewed. All events, 1* through 3*, JFC and FJWC, are considered eligible for seeding. The seeding list will be publicly available on LiveHeats so athletes and coaches can assess registration status.

How and when do I register for comps?

Please see the IFSA Junior Series Quick Reference Guide.

How many comps can my skier register for?

Athletes have four competitions to build their regular season ranking. If an athlete participates in more than four events, these additional events are classified as “Friendly”. “Friendly” athletes can still achieve podium positions and receive event prizes, but no ranking or seeding points will be assigned. Note that “Friendly” athletes are only accepted to a competition once all other athletes have been confirmed.

What are the judging standards?

Athletes competing in IFSA-sanctioned competitive freeride events are judged on their performance within five different categories by a panel of judges, consisting of at least two judges and one head judge. Here is a basic overview of the five judging categories:

Line Choice: Each competitor chooses their line or route down the course. Higher scores are given for choosing more difficult routes. Difficulty is determined by steepness, exposure, air, snow and venue conditions.

Control: Competitors must remain in control at all times. Any loss of control will result in a lower score.

Fluidity: Constant direction towards a goal. This includes continuity, pace, and smooth transitions between sections of the course. Falling or stopping will negatively impact scores in this category.

Technique: Competitors are judged on the quality of their stance and movements and how the stance and movements either help or hinder outcomes on snow. This category includes both turn quality, as well as freestyle technique.

Style & Energy: This encompasses the pace, energy and creativity with which a competitor attacks or descends their chosen line or route. Additional points in freestyle maneuvers are awarded here.

Athletes and families are encouraged to familiarize themselves with the specific rules and guidelines provided by the IFSA. For more information please visit the IFSA Judging Overview page and the 2024 IFSA Junior Series Athlete Handbook with Junior Points Tables.

If my skier was U12 (or injured) last year, how can they ever get enough points to be seeded?

The Seed List is a 52-week rolling list, which means that as soon as they begin competing this season, they will accrue points based on their finish. These points are added to the Seed List and will be used towards registration in future events, both later in the 2023-24 season and beyond. Additionally, athletes who have competed at the U12 level and are moving up to U15 will be given 10 seeding points to recognize their experience and differentiate them from U15 athletes who are competing for the first time.

An injured athlete can freeze their seeding points and they will be carried into next season. Please contact the region director.

Are there specific rules or differences for the Eastern region?

No. The Eastern Region is part of IFSA and follows all of the same rules that other regions follow. See the 2024 IFSA Junior Series Athlete Handbook with Junior Points Tables for IFSA rules.

Do Eastern athletes get preference (over athletes from other regions) when registering for Eastern comps?

No. While some regions have opted to give priority registration to in-region athletes for Junior 2* events, the Eastern Region is not doing that for the 2023-24 season.

How can I estimate whether my athlete will get into a comp so I can make decisions about taking days off from work, etc.?

Once you've received an email that your child's entry has been confirmed by the organizer, you can be assured that your child has a spot in the event and can proceed with making the necessary arrangements. The timing of a confirmation is approximately 96 hours after the registration for the event opens, and roughly 24 hours after the 72-hour event registration window closes.

When will I be charged for registration?

You will be charged when the event registration is confirmed by the organizers, approximately 24 hours after the registration window closes.

Is my IFSA login and password the same as my LiveHeats login and password?

No. These are two distinct sites with two different sets of credentials. LiveHeats is used for your IFSA membership and event registration. The IFSA login is to access the IFSA Brand Discounts Pro Portal.

How do I register multiple athletes for the same event?

Please consult the IFSA Junior Series Quick Reference Guide.

Will discounted lift tickets be available for athletes and parents to attend events?

Discounted tickets for events are up to Event Organizers.

Does timestamp matter for national registration 3* events as a tie breaker? Ie. For kids like rising u15s who all have same points or kids with tied points and seed?

No, time stamp does not matter at all for the 3* registrations.

Does seed or timestamp come first for regional 2* comps when registering?

An athlete’s seed is used to determine the first 50% of available slots, an athlete’s registration timestamp is used to allocate the second 50% of available slots. For more information about the registration process please see the IFSA Junior Series Quick Reference Guide.