It was a long, arduous and tiring week at the World Ski and Snowboard Festival in Whistler, BC, Canada. The week was filled with big ski action, big party action and not a lot of sleep. So it goes at the Telus Festival year in and year out. But with the successful addition of the the AFP World Championships this year, a mellow last day would just not do.
Check out the entire photo gallery from the night
So in classic ski industry fashion, Freeskier teamed up with the AFP and Watermark (Telus' event company) to throw a party for the athletes and industry. No joeys, no weirdo creepers crashing; just good ol' fashioned fun.
The party was thought up in part to celebrate the athletes. Not just the year-end AFP winners, but all the athletes. Who day in and day out all year put their bodies on the line in hopes of reaching greater glory, entertaining us along the way. The AFp World Championships at Telus was the last contest of the year, and this party symbolized a time for everyone — Team Managers, media and co. — to let loose, to not have to worry about the next slopestyle event or who is leading what points race… like I said earlier, just good ol' fashioned fun.
Trennon Paynter, Justin Dorey, Riley Leboe and Sean Pettit
And unlike other industry parties, there were no drink sponsors. Not overarching sales pitch hanging in the air. Just a regular old bar (that happened to be free) and regular drinks. There were no pro hoes, no super fans, just an industry of friends working on Monday's collective hangover.
So check out the photo gallery, see some of the people that were in attendance. But more importantly, salute the athletes. Even though most people couldn't be at this year-end party, raise your glass to the people who really drive the sport.
*A special thanks goes out the AFP (Chris Jerard, Josh Loubek, Chris Schuster, Steele Spence), Watermark (Sue Eckersley and Jess Smith), Merlin's Bar and Girll and Rich Glass, our gracious photographer.
For more information on the actual skiing that went down at Telus this year, check out any of the following:
¬Bobby Brown and Kaya Turski win WSI Slopestyle
¬Bobby Brown and Ashley Battersby win WSI Big Air
¬Justin Dorey and Keltie Hansen win WSI Superpipe
¬Gus Kenworthy and Devin Logan named AFP Overall Champions
