The holidays are here, and as nice as it is to enjoy some time off with your sketchy in-laws as you pound rum and eggnog, it is also important to recognize the end of another year and, more importantly, the start of a new one.
Since the snow conditions haven’t been ideal (or less than so) to close out 2023, it has given us some time to review 2023 and reminisce about the good times. During our leather armchair voyages down memory lane, we have also pondered on the athletes that had a big year, and those who are poised for a massive season in 2024.
Fantasy skiing isn’t a thing (yet), but if it did exist, these would be the names thrown around the SKIER office watercooler, the sleepers, the breakouts, and the first-round picks.
Colter Hinchliffe
Sponsors: Volkl Skis, Backcountry, Aspen Snowmass, BCA, Zeal Optics
Colter is true blue Aspen, born and raised in one of skiing’s promised lands, he grew up around the pioneers of the sport and you can see it in his skiing. His part in the new TGR film “Legend Has It” is as good as they get and you can expect Colter to be a mainstay in the TGR roster.
Evan McEachran
Sponsors: Head Skis, Giro, O’Neil, Monster Energy
A two-time Olympian from Oakville, Ontario? You just love to hear about a skier from the East killing it! Evan represented Canada at the Pyeongchang 2018 and Beijing 2020 Olympics, impressively qualifying for the Big Air final in the latter. He’s a consistent presence at the X Games, securing podium finishes in Slopestyle in 2020 and 2021. Be on the lookout for Evan at X-games this season!
Tatum Monod
Sponsors: Arc’Teryx, Red Bull, Rossignol, Yeti, Ski-doo, Monod Sports
Tatum Monod has already had a very successful ski career but isn’t done yet. Despite a pretty bad knee injury in Alaska a few years back, Tatum is back and better than ever, with a sizzling part in a new Arc’teryx movie “Continuum”. Expect Tatum to be at the forefront of women’s skiing this year, where she belongs.
Tate Garrod
Sponsors: Faction skis, Swany gloves, Oakley, Attridge shop, Airhouse, Board butter wax, Silverstar Mountain Resort, Monashee Helicopters LTD.
Following the path of Vernon, BC, Trailblazers like TJ Schiller, Noah Morrison, Patrick Dew, and Elena Gaskell, Tate Garrot is a Silver Star local and young gun with a bright future in both freestyle and freeride competition. Expect 2024 to be a breakout season for Tate.
Julian Carr
Sponsors: Rab, Icelantic, Gordini, Dalteboot, Bronco, OnX, Leki
Julian Carr is nuts. He has two world records for the highest cliff drops and is always dropping insane content on his Instagram page where his insanity knows no bounds, often sending his signature frontflip off cliffs. Julian has also recently started several companies, including Blake Broncos, a business that refurbishes old Ford Broncos. Check out the SKIER interview with Julian here
Lea Bouard
Sponsors: Elan, Kari Traa
Lea is a German-born skier who went to the Olympics in 2018 to compete in the moguls event. Since then, she switched from moguls to freeskiing and is killing it on Instagram, garnering a following of over 117k people! Lea is one to watch in the new age of social media shredding.
