As I am packing my things for the big road trip to Revelstoke this morning I can not stop thinking about the footage I saw from last years event. The winner of the 2010 Canadian Freeskiing Championships in Revelstoke, BC was the late Arne Backstrom. Here is a great video that was put together by my brothers over at Unofficial Squaw last year.
Arne had been competing on the tour for a few seasons, but last year he really rose to the top. Brother of female freeskiing icon Ingrid Backstrom and fellow Unofficial Networks writer/ freeriding snowboarder Ralph Backstrom, Arne had made a name for himself in the freeskiing community by winning the overall tour last year, as well as a coveted Sick Bird belt buckle.
I had personally gotten to know Arne for the last 2-3 seasons on the World Freeskiing Tour. We had shared a few beers and a few turns in places like Kirkwood, Telluride and Aleyeska. He was a quiet guy who let his skis do the vast majority of the talking. The aggression and fluidity that he was capable of on the hill can be matched by very few people.
I know I will be thinking about Arne a bunch during the 17 hour drive to Revelstoke and before each one of my comp runs. You are missed brother and we will keep it going, you are so right “This is Awesome……”
