Freeride becomes official division of the Austrian Ski Federation

Olympic perspective from 2030

ÖSV sporting director Mario Stecher pointed to the organizational effort associated with the inclusion. "Wichtig ist, dass die erforderlichen organisatorischen und strukturellen Rahmenbedingungen geschaffen werden", Stecher was quoted as saying in the release. In parallel, further measures for professionalization and structural optimization would be implemented.

According to the ÖSV, the St. Christoph location in Tyrol is to serve as the national training and competence center for freeride. The Ski Austria Academy is already based there and is to look after the domestic freeride elite in the future. The head of the new division will be announced shortly.

St. Christoph as competence center

The 2023 Freeride World Champion, Valentin Rainer, spoke of a "Meilenstein" for the sport. He explained the significance of the decision for the discipline and how he views the first Olympic events in four years. He regards the inclusion in the Olympic program as a historic step for a scene that has so far developed largely outside traditional federation structures.

The new division also changes the funding logic within the ÖSV. In the future, training and competition structures, squad spots, and international representation are to be organized along the lines of established divisions such as Alpine skiing or ski cross. This is accompanied by a professionalization of athletes who have often previously operated as lone wolves or in small teams.

Professionalization of the scene

In addition to freeride, synchro9 in figure skating has also been newly added to the Olympic program. The additional disciplines are seen as an attempt by the IOC to appeal to younger target groups and modernize the Winter Games program. For the ÖSV, this opens up another field in which Austrian athletes could have medal chances.

The ÖSV emphasized that the structures are to be gradually built up by the 2030 Winter Games. This includes a national competition calendar, uniform training standards, and integration into the existing federation administration. Cooperation with the regional ski associations is also to be expanded in order to identify talent at an early stage.

Austria's freeride scene is considered one of the most active in the world. With the Arlberg region, the Montafon, and the Kitzbühel Alps, the country has a dense network of steep slopes, deep-snow slopes, and competition areas. The new division is intended to bundle these geographical advantages and translate them into a systematic competition and training architecture.

Outlook until the Winter Games

With the inclusion in the ÖSV, a phase ends in which freeride in Austria was primarily carried by private initiatives, local events, and international competitions. In the future, the federation will take responsibility for squad allocation, international representation, and the connection to the Olympic program.

Overall, the ÖSV sees the decision as part of a long-term strategy to be more broadly positioned in winter sports. The coming years until 2030 are regarded as a transitional phase in which structures are to be created, athletes built up, and competition formats established.