RIP Sylvain Saudan

[goldenboy]

One of the few bold skiers who eventually also made it to "old". So many first descents...

[Meadow Skipper]

Legend.

RIP

[jackstraw]

Oh man, bummer. RIP

That man was so dialed. I read as much as I could about his turn in steep terrain and tried to mimic it. So inspiring.

Cheers to making turns in the beyond!

[mcski]

Wow haven’t heard that name in a long time. Definitely fueled the imaginations of me and my childhood ski buddies

[XXX-er]

on the top of Blackcomb they named a run after him, the Saudan Coulior, you could drop it and on to the village was a 45 minute run

Didn't Saudan have a different style using long poles very upright ?

[Meadow Skipper]

I thought there’d be more on YouTube, but skip to 3:30 on this.

Kind of surprised he kept the pack on. I wouldn’t

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sylvain_Saudan

Technique
In order to safely ski these mountains he developed a new technique to "jump turn" on very steep inclines.[3] Normal jump turns would have accelerated the skier and thrown him too far down the mountain so, using long ski poles, Saudan turned by planting a ski pole downhill and, keeping his weight on both skis and leaning back on his heels, he lifted the ski tips up and swivelled them in an arc into the turn.[3] These turns, rhythmically swivelling the skis in arcs left and right, he christened the windscreen wiper turns.[4][3] His extreme exploits involved considerable preparations, studying the mountain, the snow, and the terrain over an extended period of time.

Skieur de L’impossible
https://www.mountainlifemedia.ca/201...e-limpossible/

[jackstraw]

Idk about the pole thing, but if I recall correctly it was his unweighting technique and keeping shovels in contact with the snow. Was it windshield wiper tail turns...I forget exactly how it was explained. It was super efficient way to make a steep turn. Jump turns have a lot of potential for failure in no fall zones. New schools skis have obviously changed some things.
Edit - ahhh, didn't see your post before mine

[bodywhomper]

RIP - Legend!

[I've seen black diamonds!]

RIP, skier.

https://youtu.be/5Z5kJSLWkkU?si=aAQ0GJOHXSW1MRTA

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[Core Shot]

I thought there’d be more on YouTube, but skip to 3:30 on this.

Kind of surprised he kept the pack on. I wouldn’t

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sylvain_Saudan


Skieur de L’impossible
https://www.mountainlifemedia.ca/201...e-limpossible/

Dang. That’s insane.
Cross poling since you have an ice axe in the other hand
And steep as fuck scrappy ice.
And old school shitty gear.
Legend.

RIP, skier.



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ROCK SKIERS ROCK!!

RIP

[Buster Highmen]

Rest On Skis.

[garyfromterrace]

My hero.
Thanks for inspiring this prairie boy.

[byates1]

epic legend. rip in peace.

[Mike Pow]

Was always from another world
RIP

[UTaho']

RIP Sylvain

[cat in january]

He lived a long life well, peace

[brutah]

RIP
A legend no doubt


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[wstdeep]

Quote: "skiing is like flying with your feet on the ground"

[Keef Riffhard]

https://www.swissinfo.ch/eng/life-ag...ed-87/84089661

Had the honor of meeting him several times, interviewing him for an MSP film as well as Powder Mag. Always the consummate gentleman, wearing a sportcoat and an ascot - unironically, and carried a comb to keep his coif tight. The last time we met, he called me for a meeting to discuss sending him heliski clients in Kashmir - that was 10 years ago, and he was still guiding (post-heli-accident) there as well as in Megève - hustling at 77 years old! I could listen to his stories over and over, but he was so polished and never deviated from the script. My favorite was the story of the first descent of the Marinelli.

Un vrai legend.

[jackstraw]

^ that's awesome. I would have loved to have met him.

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/obituari...blanc-couloir/

[buckethead]

^^ just saw this browsing the news. he put so many
merely mortal skiers to shame demonstrating how snow was optional for skiing.
Rock Star Supreme.

[Island Bay]

An innovator, and always stylish.

Well done, Sylvain. RIP.