Seamus O’Neill, senior at Rice, is heading to Kappl, Austria to compete in the Freeride Skiing Junior World Championship. At the end of last season, he was ranked the top junior male freeride skier in the US. He is one of only 4 young men selected to represent the US in this competition! His hallmark trick is the double backflip—yes, really!

What is Freeride Skiing?
Freeride skiing is performed on ungroomed, natural terrain. Each skier picks their own line down the mountain hitting as many features and performing as many tricks as they can during their run. Their performance is judged on criteria like line, fluidity, air, style, control, and energy. It’s incredibly competitive, so fun to watch, but not without significant risk! To compete at this level requires a lot of courage, training and grit.

To start his run, he will hike up a narrow ridge at altitude carrying his skis and boots. He will scope out the snow conditions and natural features (aka: rocks, cliffs, ledges), plan his course, and jump off the edge. Each skier has only one opportunity to get it right. 

When you meet Seamus, you can tell he’s a skier who pushes the envelope. He’s confident, energetic, with a great love for the outdoors and the sport. He says his key to success is having fun. Certainly, he puts the hours in on the mountain training, but having the attitude that skiing is fun allows his performance to have an energy to it that’s truly distinctive. 

“In most sports, the amount of work you put in will equal the amount of progress you will achieve. So when you don’t land a trick, or score that goal, it’s important to remember that the work you put in is still waiting to be shown.” - Seamus O'Neill