A lumberjack from Switzerland is coaching the Revelstoke Ski Club’s new All Mountain program. Simon Getaz raced at famous Swiss hill Gstaad from the age of 2 under the tutelage of his father, a top-level ski coach. He moved into freestyle at the age of 16 and eventually into freeskiing.
The dual citizen has years of coaching experience and has been coaching a riding in Quebec recently, while working as a tree faller. He’s completing his B.C. faller certification now.
“The snow, the powder,” is what brought him to Revelstoke, where’s he’s signed up to coach eight 11- to 14-year olds this season.
“Freeriding is totally free,” Getaz says of the appeal. The program will teach racing skills and then the full spectrum of skills necessary for freeskiing, such as tree riding, bumps, groomers and slalom. The fun-focused program seeks to help skiers improve while allowing the freedom to “do whatever you want with what you’ve got in your resort.”
