Alex is developing legendary status in freestyle skiing, both in front of the lens and on the competition stage. No stranger to sending it big as well as getting creative, Alex never stops. His ambition spurs him on to compete at the highest level, while filming more segments than anyone else, from the park to the streets to the backcountry. Alex recently cemented his legendary status with a gold medal in Slopestyle at the 2022 Winter Olympics.
Sweeping podiums in park and pipe across the world or gracing the front cover of Vogue, Eileen Gu has cemented herself amongst freeskiing’s all-time greats and as a public figure in her own right. Her expanding trophy cabinet houses two Olympic golds, one Olympic silver and countless FIS World Cup and X Games podiums. She blasted onto the world stage at the X Games Aspen in 2021, aged 17, setting a record as the first-ever woman rookie to take home three medals. Alongside her string of competition success, she uses her platform as a Chinese-American national to “unite people, promote common understanding, create communication, and forge friendships between nations.” Now, with her graduation from Stanford University approaching, and Milan-Cortina 2026 waiting around the corner, her career is set to continue inspiring fans in and outside of the skiing world. It leaves us wondering how she juggles it all.
Matej is a young Czech-Austrian freestyle skier with a promising future ahead of him. Born in the Czech Republic, Matej relocated to Kaprun, Austria with his family aged 10. He started Alpine ski racing but soon switched disciplines, drawn by the creativity and adrenaline of freestyle skiing. Aged 15 Matej took big air gold at the Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne and a year later he was crowned slopestyle junior world champion. Today he competes around the world at the major freestyle comps, blowing away the crowds with his insane trick selection and style. This is only the beginning for Matej!
Originally hailing from the flatlands of Connecticut, Mac first burst onto the skiing scene as a weekend warrior at Stratton resort. In 2015 Mac moved to Vermont and began skiing at Mount Snow. Smooth style, insanely tech tricks, and in 2019 Mac made history by winning the overall top spot and FIS Crystal Globe on the World Cup circuit at just 17 years of age. On his Faction film debut in THE COLLECTIVE, Mac laid down some of the slickest runs of the Fonna shoot. He went on to claim Big Air gold and Slopestyle silver at X Games Aspen ‘23, leaving little doubt that he’s one of the brightest talents in the game today.
Sarah’s road to an Olympic Gold Medal was unconventional, to say the least. Taking up skiing in her early 20s while studying for a Neuroscience degree, Sarah quickly discovered her natural talent and drive to become a professional skier. Fast-forward a few years later and Sarah is one of the most decorated women in the sport, with an Olympic Gold medal as well as multiple X Games and World Cup podiums to her name. When Sarah isn’t crushing it at comps, you can find her ski touring, cycling and exploring the mountains around her home in Chamonix.
Dylan Deschamps from Québec, QC, is making waves in freestyle skiing. Joining the national team in 2022, he's swiftly claimed victories, including a 3rd place in the Winsport Slopestyle NorAm 2023 and a 2nd place in the Stoneham Slopestyle NorAm 2022. In a career-defining moment, Dylan clinched his first World Cup Big Air gold medal in 2023, marking him as a rising star in the freestyle skiing scene.
The first female athlete signed to Faction, Gulia has stood on many podiums across numerous freestyle competitions. She has a bag of impressive tricks, including a dub 10 and switch dub 9, both of which she has on lock with ease. A talented and tenacious character, who has bounced back from injury multiple times, Giulia holds her own as part of the very stacked Swiss Freeski team. When not on the snow, she can be found mountain biking or hitting up the waves with some surfing.
Tormod is a young Norweigan ripper who has been skiing for as long as he can remember. He started out with downhill skiing, but freeskiing quickly captured his interest. He learned his first few tricks on the jumps and rails at his local slope near Oslo, a slope which has now served as his second home for many years. Tormod loves shredding snowparks around the world and having fun with his homies. He has a great future ahead of him in freestyle skiing.
Elias Syrjä, a rising freestyle skiing talent, made waves at the 2017 Cardrona World Cup, securing a notable fifth place in the 2017/18 Big Air World Cup. His presence was felt at the 2019 World Championships, and in the 2019/20 season, he achieved a commendable fifth place in the Big Air World Cup. At the 2020 Winter X Games in Aspen, Syrjä impressed with a seventh-place finish in Big Air, confirming his status as a force in freestyle skiing.
| Athlete | Big Air | Slopestyle | Halfpipe |
|---|---|---|---|
| Eileen Gu | Q | Q | |
| Alex Hall | Q | Q | |
| Matej Svancer | Q | Q | |
| Mac Forehand | Q | Q | |
| Dylan Deschamps | Q | ||
| Sarah Hoefflin | Q | Q | |
| Giulia Tanno | Q | Q | |
| Tormod Frostad | Q | Q | |
| Elias Syrjä | Q | Q | |
| Henry Sildaru | Q | Q | Q |
| Dillan Glennie | Q | ||
| Mengting Liu | Q | Q | |
| Ruyi Yang | Q | Q |
Click the link below to see when and where to watch the best freeskiers compete for Olympic Gold.
The Faction Collective pulls into Sugar Bowl, California, in search of the sweet highs of an all-star freestyle session.
Eileen Gu exclusive on Milano Cortina 2026: From Italian food to art, I’m excited about ‘everything’.
Poised to claim more medals at Milan-Cortina 2026, we chatted with US freeskier Alex Hall about his goals and plans for the games.
Few know the pressure of a qualifying season like Team USA’s Mac Forehand, who gave FREESKIER a candid insight into the reality of Olympic qualifying—a delicate balance between enjoying a sport they love and the pressure of qualification.
The first episode of the Faction: Portraits short film series, ‘Restless’ dives into the extraordinary career of Utah-based Olympic gold medalist
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