Hannes Hemper

The SLVSH Cup final is here—Max Moffatt faces off against Alec Henderson in an epic showdown! Plus, don’t miss an exciting podcast with Nick Russell as he dives into his unique backcountry approach, along with a sneak peek at Natural Selection Ski featuring Weazy. Meanwhile, Estelle heads to Alaska with Travis Rice—and she’s delivering big.

We start with a funny short film project about the lunch break, then visit Patagonia and crazy French people, watch splitboarders ride across the meadow and take a look at the freeski scene in Japan, which is a little disconnected from the rest of the world. This week's contest is the SLVSH Cup, and the History Lesson is all about Parker White.

The season is nearing spring, only slush in the Alps, but on the other side of the world in Canada, there were still a few days of snow for the Natural Selection Women’s Tour in Whitewater. There’s also some BTS footage from snowboard filming, and Todd Ligare is back with a double video part!

From a short film by a couple just beginning their filmmaking journey to the search for hidden lines in the Alps and a snowboard best-of from Alaska—it's all here. Plus, creative projects beyond the ski world and the grand finale of the first stop of the Jib League.

Splitboard manufacturers such as Voile, Jones and Furberg have developed different systems, but they are all based on the same principle: Clips on the tip and tail hold the board halves together, while hooks in the centre provide additional stability. There are clear differences between the systems, especially when it comes to the hooks and clips. Only Furberg uses an innovative tongue-and-groove system on the inside edges. Despite technical differences, all manufacturers use the Voile standard for the drill holes. In recent years, hooks, clips and bindings have been continuously optimised - three of the best systems are presented and compared below.

This week I'm launching a new sub-category: the History Lesson, in which I show must-watch videos from the past. It starts with a snowboard film that even inspired Candide. There's also a really nice project from Arc'teryx and a dose of style from Henrik and Phil aka B & E.

The weather window is open: Friday morning is competition time. Thursday remains for arriving and exploring. The snow conditions? Okay, but better on the face than in the rest of the area - thanks to weeks of closures. This year, it's back to the Ozone Face, right next to the top chairlift and accessible via the so-called Stairway to Heaven. Short, crisp and radical - so get ready for one-hit wonder lines and fast charging!

Welcome to February, dear friends of snow sports! Snowfall brings joy to the whole world again after a dry January. Time to get inspired - with creative comp skiing, short films that capture the emotions of snow sports and a bit of learning material to round things off.

Magazines used to dominate the scene - today a lot is digital, but that's okay. Change is always present. Ethan and the Downdays team have found a great middle ground: One magazine per year, although this one is for the last two years, which is inspiring both visually and in terms of content.

In the ninth edition of Videos of the Week, we celebrate Joona, the well-deserved 'Freeskier of the Year,' and take a look at creative film projects from the French Freeski team. We also join Torstein Horgmo on a psychedelic snowboarding journey through Baldface and Japan. On the competition side, we finally have fresh new Games of SLVSH, and the X Games kicked off with its first day full of exciting action. A week full of highlights for all Freeski and Snowboard fans!

In recent years, films have emerged that go beyond the sport itself, encouraging us to reflect on our responsibility in the climate crisis. They urge us to take imperfect, yet necessary steps to create change. With impressive action and artistic vision, some of these projects show that change doesn't have to be perfect, but instead that every step matters.

Christmas and New Year are over - a wonderful time with family and friends is behind us, and there's still time for a few ski films in between. I hope most of you have had a good start into 2025 - on skis or boards - and feel like getting some inspiration for the coming week.