According to a survey conducted by SIA that started in the 2008/2009 winter and continued until this past season, snow sports participation of all kinds (with the exception of cross-country skiing) is on the rise (even snowshoeing). Such numbers represent a burgeoning ski industry that continues to grow into new markets during the climate change era.
Here is our summary on gains and losses…
Alpine Skiing
Since the recession hit during the 2008/2009 season, alpine skiing (the biggest demographic in skiing) dropped off significantly. Although the numbers indicate that alpine skiing’s popularity has not returned to its pre-recession status, the sport experienced a 12% increase in participation during the last two years.
Freestyle Skiing
Whether it’s rails or big booters, freestyle is the fastest growing discipline in skiing. Since 2008/2009, jibbers saw a 39% increase with 12% of that coming in the past two years.
Tele-Mark Skiing
The biggest surprise was the increase in Telemark skiing over the past few years. Since 2008, the sport has increased 44%. However, the amount of knee-droppers on the hill fell 7.6% over the last two years.
Snowboarding
Snowboarding has stayed relatively the same since 2008/2009 with this past year sporting a 3.6% increase from the year prior.
Other Winter Sports
Cross-country skiing saw a 3.5% decline from the previous year, while Snowshoeing saw a 7.2% increase.