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The year was 1996. Bill Clinton was President, Tupac was alive and well, and Steve and Todd Jones were hard at work on The Continuum, TGR's first film. "Freeriding" as we know it today was the near-exclusive domain of snowboarders, but was rapidly gaining popularity thanks to one-plankers like Matt Goodwill, Mike "Tex" Davenport, and Steve Klassen. Inspired by Alaska's legendary King of the Hill big-mountain-freeride competition, organizers dreamed up a similar event to be held in the iconic Swiss Alps, dubbing it the "Verbier Xtreme." And xtreme it was, taking place on the notoriously dangerous Bec des Rosses, and featuring snowboarding's A-list.
It was a different time, as clearly evidenced by the athletes' gear: A significant portion of the field is riding posi-posi setups, and fan-favorite Matt Goodwill is wearing a bike helmet. Seriously.
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To celebrate what would have been the 25th running of the Verbier Xtreme, FWT put together a stunning tribute, inviting 25 ski and snowboard legends to help illuminate the face (night shoots, so hot right now). Unfortunately, the event was ultimately shut down by COVID-19, but we'll always have '96.
