34
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AUTUMN
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EARLY WINTER
2016
Escarpment:
From freestyleballet to Freestyle Ski Cross, youhavehad
a front row seat in the evolution of international freestyle skiing. In your
opinionwhat are the challenges facing athletes of today, versus athletes
who competed on theworld stagewhen youwere competingand coach-
ing?
Chris:
Despite theadvances in the systems that surround theathletes
asdiscussed inanearlierquestion, I think theexternal pressures towin
aremuchgreater than20and30yearsago. Thedrive towinhasnot
changed in the athletes themselves but the financial aspects of being
anathlete todayarealways lingering in thebackground. Only the top
athletesare really fullysupported.So, the investmentandsacrifices that
families have tomake for a youngathlete to reach aNational Team
canbeagreat burdenandoften theprospectsof successareveryun-
certain – everything is so competitive these days. Aswell, even if an
athletedoesachievesuccessat the international level, theircompetitive
careersare limitedandcomingout of sport and intoaworkingcareer
isoftenanotherhugechallenge. Maintaininganeducationwhile train-
ingand competing is very demandingbut more important than ever.
So, it takesmore than pure talent to succeed in sport today in away
that isquitedifferent frommydaysasanathleteandcoach.
Escarpment:
The 1988OlympicWinter Games, in Calgary, Alberta,
all three (then) freestyledisciplines,moguls, aerials, andballet, weread-
mitted as demonstration sports. At the 1992 Winter Olympics in Al-
bertville, France, moguls became a full medal sport while aerials and
ballet remained in thedemonstration category. Then, in1994 in Lilleham-
mer, aerials advanced tomedal status and ballet was dropped entirely.
How did this affect the athletes within your sport? Could this happen
againwith emerging freestyle sports?
Chris:
Ibelieve it couldhappenagainbut,at themoment, Freestyle is
in pretty good shape and each event in the discipline has its own
strengths, at least in terms of being sustainable for the short termand
beingmaintainedon theOlympic program. The problemwith Ballet
was that it was not resonatingwith the audience. I believe the event
went too far in thedirectionof artistic development wherea focus on
‘tricks’ took aback seat to the ‘performing’ aspects. The unfortunate
thing is that theuninitiatedseldomappreciated theathleticismofBallet.
They focused on the increasingly flamboyant outfits and dance-like
movements that, combinedwithweirdly long ski poles and short skis,
had little relevance to the average skier and the ski industry –Ballet
wasn’t sellingany skis! Interestingly there isawebsiteandanumberof
social media forums where the ‘bring-back-Ballet’ movement might
have somemomentum…We’ll see.
☺
Escarpment:
What is it about the Escarpment that produces great
Freestyle athletes like SlopestyleOlympic GoldMedalist DaraHowell?
Chris:
I would say that the Escarpment produces great snowsports
athletes ingeneral. Lookat the long list of amazingAlpine skiers that
havealsocome fromour ‘small hills’. That said, I think the lackofabig-
germountaindoescreateanenvironmentwherekidswhoexcel in the
terrainparksaremotivated to spendevenmore time focusingon their
tradewithout thedistractions of leaving thepark togo ripbig lines on
apowder day…Somemight say this is not such agreat tradeoff but
I’m sure the Olympic medal makes up for a lot! Besides, that an
OlympicorX-Gamesmedal isasure ticket tospendingmore time in the
bigmountains in the future.
Escarpment:
Youwere the recipient of the Judith Kilbourne Founders
Award in 2007, which is the Canadian Snowsports industry’s highest
award for your outstanding and long-term commitment to the ski and
snowboard industry inCanada–this is ahugehonor,what did this award
mean to you?
Chris:
Oneof thepositions I heldearly inmycareerwasProgramDi-
rector andHeadCoachof FreestyleSkiingOntario. FSOworkedout
of theOntarioSki Council andwe sharedofficeswith theCanadian
SkiCouncilwhichwas startedby JudithKilbourne. I got toknow Judy
well over theyearsand I havealwaysbelieved inher vision for theSki
Councilwhichwas tobring the industry togetherandworkasacollec-
tive topromotegrowthanddevelopment inour sport. TheCSC’smem-
bership is comprisedof themanydifferent organizations that form the
broaderski industry.The JudithKilbourneAwardwhichwasestablished
inhernameupon retirement from theCouncil isdecideduponbyallof
the industrymembers. Tobehonoured in thiswaybymypeersand for
the industrygroup to recognizemycontributionsmeans somuch. Like
theSki Hall of Fame, I havenever sought tobeawarded for thework
I’vedoneover theyearsbut receiving thehonourhasbeen thebiggest
motivator tokeepadding to thevertical of a lifededicated to skiing.
Escarpment:
I was one of the millions of viewers who watched you
during the presentation of the historicOlympicGoldMedal toAlexandre
Bilodeau for his win in Men’s Moguls at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic
Games. What was the atmosphere like, and how did it feel to be on the
stage presenting to Alex?
Chris:
Itwasan incrediblehonour tobe selectedas the international
federation presenter for the ceremony inmy role as Chairman of the
FISFreestyleCommittee. Iwas the flower presenterwhereas the IOC
representativeateachceremonyactuallyhandsover themedals.Hav-
ingknownAlexanumberofyearsand followinghiscareeron theway
to theOlympicpodium itwas thatmuchmoremeaningful forme. The
atmosphere in thevenuewasunbelievable! What struckmemostwas
the incredible roar of the crowdwhowerepacked into the stadium to
see the first everOlympicGoldMedal tobepresentedonCanadian
soil. Theexperiencewasbothexhilaratingandhumbling. I felt inmany
ways like I was representingall Canadianswhowould havewanted
to shakeAlex’s hand in congratulations for what heachieved for our
country.
Escarpment:
Now that you have closed the SMedia chapter of your
life, what’s next for Chris Robinson?
Chris:
In the short term I’ll be focusingonmy television production
company, DoubleBlackDiamond Productions, workingonanumber
ofeventproductionprojects thiswinter including twoFreestyleMoguls
WorldCupshere inCanadaalongwith theTVproduction for theBlue
Mountain Ski Cross event. As well, my volunteer workwith the FIS,
Canadian Snowsports Association and the Canadian Ski Council
keepsmeprettybusy thesedays.Beyondallof that, I’mverymuch look-
ing forward tonewchallengesandexperiences that lieahead. Could
there be another television series program like Ski Base and Pontiac
Worldof Skiing inmy future? Younever know!
|E|
in conversat ion wi th chr is robin-
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Could there be another
television series program
like Ski Base andPontiac
World of Skiing inmy
future?You never know!
