We just wrapped up our annual IFSA Junior Regional Event. This competition was held in Mirkwood Basin on Feb 24/25 and featured young riders from two age classifications. On Thursday it was the 12-14 age group going head to head and on Friday we hosted the U12 skiers/riders picking their lines down from the Mirk summit. This event sees teams from all over Colorado and New Mexico compete for bragging rights. The competitors had very cold weather to deal with on their hike to the top and while waiting for their turn along with deep snow to navigate in the bowl. Kudos to all of the athletes and their incredible families for showing up BIG! We love hosting this event and it’s definitely one of our favorites each season here at Monarch.
“The International Freeskiers Association (IFSA) was established in 1996 by freeskiing pioneer Shane McConkey. Freeskiing in the 1990s was comprised of the different disciplines of skiing outside of alpine racing which included big mountain, slopestyle, half-pipe, big air, and skier-cross. McConkey believed that the sports included in freeskiing needed an athlete-driven governing body to ensure that the athletes had a voice in the development and governance of their sport. Since then, the sport of freeskiing has grown rapidly and each of the disciplines have evolved into strong individual sports. Today the IFSA is centered on junior and adult big mountain Freeride competitions and is now known as the International Freeskiers and Snowboarders Association.
The IFSA began sanctioning junior events in the 2010-2011 season. Explosive growth and a need for sanctioning in Region 2 at the FWQ Adult level led the IFSA to partner with the Freeride World Tour in the 2014-2015 season. Since that time, the IFSA has unified events across North and South America to form the Junior and FWQ Series within Region 2. The explosive growth of the sport has led to an incredible amount of evolution within the IFSA organization and to the sport of competitive Freeride itself.”
– Historical information courtesy of IFSA