Finn is one of the members of Icebreaker’s Kids Alpine Team in New Zealand. At only 11 years old he’s on a quest to become an internationally competitive freeskier. He’s the youngest skier to have gained a place on the New Zealand Junior Freeski Development Team, which he joined in 2009.
Finn is a great supporter of Icebreaker. “I have been kept warm by Icebreaker since I began skiing. I love the way it feels.”
He’s also been doing really well overseas during the Northern Hemisphere winter season. “I was really pleased to win at the Brighton, Utah stop of the Gatorade Free Flow Tour, as I knew the competition in the USA would be bigger and harder than here. I was nervous before the comp and was stoked to come away with 1st in the half pipe and second in the rail comp.”
Finn’s a great little filmmaker as well as an awesome freeskier – check out his 2010 season video.
Way to go Finn – we can’t wait to hear about all your new achievements.
Langely McNeal is an Icebreaker sponsored athlete and has just been on an extreme skiing trip to Alaska. Below are some pictures and a video she has shared with us from her trip. Langely is the last girl in the video segment.
“I sported my Icebreaker everyday and it kept me warm on those long days when we were standing around for production, and it kept me the perfect temperature while ripping it up. I love being a part of the Icebreaker team, it is such an honor.”
- Langely McNeal, US Ski Cross World Cup Team/Freeskier
Caleb Brown is an Icebreaker sponsored athlete who we are proud to support as he climbs his way to the top of Canada’s competitive free skiers.
“It has been a few years since Jackson Hole hosted a Free skiing World Tour, and this year was no different than the last; huge hucks and crazy crashes amongst the legendary Jackson Hole terrain.
My friend Aaron Schmidt and I are both from Fernie, BC and we were pumped to be able to make our down for the big competition. Day One of the Tour was warm and sunny, and the venue had lots of options, with some chances for big airs. Aaron was skiing before me and decided to tee up one of the bigger airs in the venue (which was the winning line in 2008). ‘Oh I’m going to stomp it for sure’, Aaron had said to me. I was confident that he was confident but when he came off the cliff with perfect form the landing cut him up like a garbage dispenser. I remember grinding my teeth as I watched him tumble with his 192 size skis on. He got up and tapped his head letting the judges and viewers that he was OK and skied to the finish. ‘Careful Caleb’, he said to me, ‘the snow is weird and there are a lot of rocks showing in the entrance you want to take’. I considered his advice and chose a slightly different line, which worked out perfectly as I moved on to the finals in a comfortable 3rd place.
What really helped me on this day, was that I was wearing several layers of Icebreaker which I was able to shed, each layer one by one as I needed during the sunny hike up to the start gate. And consequentially, put them back on, once I got to the top, to keep me warm. My favorite thing about Icebreaker is the helmet compatible hoods. I wear a full face helmet everyday and having a hood that fits underneath it is really hard to find.
So the final day arrived, I was well rested and was fully confident that I had picked out a winning line. Aaron had made a snow couch and was cheering me on. I was standing in the start gate warm and ready. I skied my line almost perfectly, and got to the bottom stoked, and watched eagerly as the two men ahead of me did their final run. ‘It’s going to be tight’, remarked Aaron after watching the last two competitors ski. And tight it was, I bumped Corey Felton into third and moved into second place behind Jesse Bryan who held onto his top spot. It was a pretty good outcome, I almost did what I went there to do. There’s always next time. Jackson Hole, I’ll see you again soon. Thanks Icebreaker for being part of the ride”.
- Caleb Brown, Icebreaker sponsored athlete
Jackson Hole Day 1. Caleb Sending it into Third Place. Photo by Tristan Greszko/MSI
