Getting ready to huck in the finals. Photo courtesy of IFSA

As I survey the morning activities in the Red Mountain base lodge, it is evident to me that no one knows what took place here the past week.

Chubby little snot-nosed kids look vacantly at the ceiling, parents search for missing hats and gloves, and missing hats and gloves lie scattered haphazardly across the floor. Old men sit together, quietly drinking their coffee, remarking casually about the evolution of ski gear. For most in the lodge this morning, it is just another beautiful day at Red Mountain. But for those who were a part of the 2005 Molson Canadian Freeskiing Championships, a new deposit to the Pleasant Memories Bank had just been made! The first International Freeskiers Association’s Big Mountain Competition of the year had been anticipated for many months, and the fruition exceeded expectations. Whether they were athletes, staff, patrolers, bartenders, lifties or CEOs, it mattered not. It is all said and done and, dammit, WE KICKED IT!

For those who have not had the pleasure of visiting Rossland, BC, have not felt the warmth and welcome that Rossland radiates; don’t take my word for it, check it out! A quintessential ski town, one will find. Rossland is situated in the heart of the Kootenay Mountains, about four hours of driving from Spokane, if driving an old Toyota motorhome running on only three cylinders, and if you take a wrong turn and start heading towards NEWport, not NORTHport. Otherwise it only takes about two hours from Spokane, by car. Walk down the main drag of Rossland on a snowy morning, let the flakes fall upon your cheeks and breathe the clean mountain air. The town is a tranquilizer.

If the town is a tranquilizer, then the ski hill is a stimulant! Red Mountain is all fall-line vertical. The two peaks, Red and Granite, each offer steep tree-skiing, almost 360 degrees around, and better than one thousand feet of vertical from top to bottom of the chairs. Locals find powder seven days a week here. Locals rip here.

The third peak, Roberts, is imposing to say the least. When you are the last athlete to run, the last man standing on Roberts, and expected to defend your first place status, it is almost unbearable. Ask James Heim, he was this man last Saturday, January 15th, 2005. Standing up there, stomping his feet and chomping on the bit. A whirlwind of emotion creating chaos in his head. Below him lay 1500 feet of danger, in the form of rocks, trees, cliffs and uncontrollable falls.

Returning for the fourth time this year, the Molson Canadian Freeskiing Championships managed to outperform their ratings to the Nth degree. Presided over by the one and only, the wizard of freeskiing, Jack Carey, this year’s event upped the ante. The first of the IFSA’s North American Tour venues, competitors showed up from all over, just in time to reap the benefits of fifty-three centimeters of fresh powder and blue skies. Every one of the five days was filled with face shots; every one of the five evenings was filled with Molson. Every one of the five senses was fulfilled for five days.

Starting with the qualifier on Link’s Line, abundant evidence indicated the intent of the athletes, which was to rip up the hill with wreck-less abandon; some did a better job of this than others. From almost 100 men and women, down to 40 men and 19 women, Link’s Line chewed ‘em up and spit the foul tasting out. At the end of the day two men stood tied for the lead: Nelson local Peter Velisek and Canmore, Alberta dog Chris Rubens. Peter exemplified what the judges were looking for: Fluidity, aggression, technique, control and line choice. Sorry Chris, I didn’t see your run. On the ladies’ side, local artist and super-shredder, Stephanie Gauvin charged the hill with nary a wrinkle to take the lead.

Day two brought more clear skies, and cold bitter enough to take the toes off a snowboarder, not to mention us poor skiers. The gift shop ran out of hand warmers, the bar ran out of Jaeger and my poor Toyota motorhome had rime ice an inch thick on the inside! Roberts proved itself on that day, athletes literally collapsed in the finish, gasping for air. Gary Hicks, of Crested Butte, stole the day by choosing a ridiculously difficult line, dropping 15-foot shelf to 20-foot shelf and so on, pretty much start to finish, to move into third place.

At the other end of the rider spectrum, Chad Sayers of Whistler flashed the mountain in cat-like style, ending the day second for the run and second overall. Nimble, graceful, and the nicest guy in the world, I must say it is a real treat to claim Chad as my friend. James Heim charged into the lead with his consistent, fall line approach. He arced every turn, was perfectly balanced at all times and stomped everything. Stephanie Gauvin succumbed to the powers of powder, leaving first place for the no-holds-barred Laura Ogden. Third place belonged to the Manitoba local, Susan Bateman.

	Tackling Mt. Roberts. Photo courtesy of IFSA

Which takes us back to the peak of Roberts, January 15, 2005. James Heim stood alone on the summit. Having watched his fellow competitors, one by one, drop off the cornice and out of sight, knowing only the reactions of the crowd below. Peter Velisek had just dropped a ridiculous double right off the top, Gary Hicks had just stuck a 70-foot cliff (which garnered him the first annual "Ill-Eagle" Award), Chad Sayers had only moments before set a new speed record for descending Roberts, and Alexandre Blais had previously dumbfounded the crowd and judges panel with his high speed hits and tricky gaps.

This time James came up a little short on the figurative gap-jump of competition. Shall we call it "Second-place Syndrome?" Yes, he skied flawlessly, but his line choice was a little weak. Sorry, buddy, better luck next time.

Fast-forward to later that evening. Awards. Jack Carey was doing his best to thank everyone within a ten-kilometer radius. I notice the top athletes kept their skis hidden, not sure if they placed. Jack sat down and head judge Jeff Holden continued the recourse, giving props and increasing the tension until it was almost visible. Finally. Women’s first: No surprise for first place, Laura Ogden shredded Roberts on consecutive days to finish well ahead of second place finisher Stephanie Gauvin. Third place went to the surprise ripper Susan Bateman, who could have taken the comp with her aggressive skiing, where it not for a fall half way down. Third place for the men went to...well actually it was a tie for second between the dueling ski techniques, Old Billy-Goat Gruff (Gary Hicks) and Peter Pan (Chad Sayers). Alexander Blais had the run of the day, but was too far out of first to be a contender. Peter Velisek, of Nelson, BC, defended his title by winning the competition for the second year in a row. His double drop off the top, followed by technically perfect skiing the rest of the run, summed up a well rounded performance to the tune of three thousand bones and first place.

We partied hand in hand that night. Rafters were packed to the rafters, local super groovy band The Toques (pronounced "tooooks," means "hat" in Canadian) warmed frozen toes all the night. Good friends got better, new friends got made, and all the Molson got done drunk. Amen.

A special thanks and infinite props to the town of Rossland, the ski area of Red Mountain (soon to be known as Red Resort) and all the friendlies of both. Event organizer Jack Carey, head judge Jeff Holden, GM Jim Greene and the entire patrol: Without THESE individuals, this competition could never be the same.

Author Elijah Lee composed this over a period of two chocolate chip cookies, three cups of coffee, one PR and a week in the Kootenays. He is thankful for the generosity of his sponsors, including Leedom, Granite Gear, Skeletools, and Cloudveil. A competitor as well, he diggered on the first day to finish almost dead last, well done, dumb-ass.

For further information on the IFSA, and for complete results, please visit: www.freeskiers.org.

For video of the comp, check out: www.biglines.com For more information on Red Mountain peruse: www.ski-red.com.

-- By Elijah Lee