What is Jib League? New Free Skiing Competition

Jib League is an alternative freeski “competition” that kicked off in last winter that has no judges, no particular format and was founded by pro skiers James Woods, Øystein Bråten and Ferdinand Dahl. In its inaugural year all of the events were held in Europe, but this second event was held in Sugar Bowl, California, with Innsbruck Austria hosting the first event before the series wrapped up in mid-April, in Myrkdalen, Norway.

The Jib League’s process is simple. There is an open day that anyone can enter with skiers hitting the park in a jam session watched by the organisers. Seven skiers are chosen form that session to join 15 invited skiers for the pro sessions. That involves three different sessions over three days on three different elements.

The sessions are films and screened at a local venue that night, the skiers voting for whoever they thought was the best skier on the day. The skier with the most votes after all three sessions wins.  

Perisher skier Martin Longhitano took time out from his annual guiding gig in Italy and headed to Innsbruck in February for the first event with a pair of 2002 Dynastar Concept twin-tips skis over his shoulder. He progressed through the open day to the pro sessions where he finished fourth overall after the three days. It seems the 20-year-old skis didn’t hinder his performance.

“I found the skis in the Jindy Op shop,”

Martin told Chillfactor. “They were the skis used by the generation of skiers I looked up to as a kid. They’re lots of fun but very different to a modern ski. The dimensions are 103/72/95 and they have a very light swing-weight. I thought Jib League was the event to use the old school twin tips.” 

It is early days, but there is talk of the Jib League potentially heading to the southern hemisphere with Cardrona a likely venue. But who knows, it’s an event an Australian resort could easily host. “I have mentioned it to them,” Martin said. “It would be amazing.”