Mount Rushmore of Freeskiing???

gonzo6266

gonzo6266

New member
The undisputed Mt. Rushmore of skiing is:

Candide

Tanner Hall

Tom Wallisch

Henrik Harlaut

would be mine. all these heads pushed skiing into hyperdrive in their own ways, had style, big film parts, crushed comps and can ski every discipline at the highest level. Candide basically created freeskiing as we know it, Tanner was the first child prodigy and was on top of the game for so long, and is still out there going hard. Pretzel god changed the way skiers come up, with the rise of the internet and superunkown, but then kept on innovating and has become one of the most prominent faces in skiing media and growing the sport. Henny speaks for himself, probably the best all around skier ever, most decorated comp skier but not regarded as a comp jock, just so much style and personality it's hard to not consider him as the Tom Brady of skiing.

Change my mind.
 
henrik rips park and street like no other. but definitely not the best all around skier until he drops a big mtn line or lays down a fwt run

**This post was edited on Mar 5th 2021 at 10:24:04pm
 
Of free skiing I have to go with Seth Morrison, Shane McConkey, Candide Thovex, and Tanner Hall. Park skiing would be different but overall free skiing I have to go with those four
 
Mt Rushmore has presidents from all different eras - I think having Tom and Henrik is a little redundant. Be like having both Roosevelt's up on that mountain it’s a little bit huh bro pick 1.

Hard to ignore Douglas, Morrison, McKonkey
 
Also Doug Coombs and glen plake could probably be up there

**This post was edited on Mar 5th 2021 at 10:32:42pm
 
Shane McConkey and glen plake are up there as well. Both true innovators and broke a lot of stereotypes/mindsets at the time
 
Candide and the Pretzel man are definitely up there, but I can't decide between Shane McConkey, JP Auclair, Thall, and JLev.

Shane and JP really shaped the skiing aspect and Tanner obviously is one of the goats, but I think Jason Levinthal really made the entire industry and sport what it is today.
 
Interesting question. Using Rushmore as a guide for selection its not necessarily the best, most well rounded, or well liked: 'Gutzon Borglum selected these four presidents because from his perspective, they represented the most important events in the history of the United States.'

JP as George Washington, the founder

Candide as Jefferson, declared independence from gravity on Chads gap

Tanner as Lincoln, winner of the great tanner-dumont pipe war

Wallisch as Teddy, leader during great economic expansion
 
14254309:cyphers said:
henrik rips park and street like no other. but definitely not the best all around skier until he drops a big mtn line or lays down a fwt run

**This post was edited on Mar 5th 2021 at 10:24:04pm
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argue with me cowards
 
I was really hoping that this thread was about snow sticking to the face and that someone skied it.

Mt Rushmore is full of a bunch of old white dead guys.

Can we put Frenchy's up there? Or Canadians?

unfortunately McConkey qualifies, so does Combs. And these are the two dudes that I would expect to have tried to actually ski Rushmore.
 
I really struggle with the 'Mt. Rushmore' conversation with all my favorite sports. There are so many influential skiers that may not get credit to get in one of the 4 spots.

I mean, what about Sammy C? Simon?

Other big mtn skiers like Shane, Hoji, Abma, Morrison?

Idk I am so conflicted haha
 
topic:gonzo6266 said:
The undisputed Mt. Rushmore of skiing is:

Candide

Tanner Hall

Tom Wallisch

Henrik Harlaut

would be mine. all these heads pushed skiing into hyperdrive in their own ways, had style, big film parts, crushed comps and can ski every discipline at the highest level. Candide basically created freeskiing as we know it, Tanner was the first child prodigy and was on top of the game for so long, and is still out there going hard. Pretzel god changed the way skiers come up, with the rise of the internet and superunkown, but then kept on innovating and has become one of the most prominent faces in skiing media and growing the sport. Henny speaks for himself, probably the best all around skier ever, most decorated comp skier but not regarded as a comp jock, just so much style and personality it's hard to not consider him as the Tom Brady of skiing.

Change my mind.
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14254311:AGOF said:
Of free skiing I have to go with Seth Morrison, Shane McConkey, Candide Thovex, and Tanner Hall. Park skiing would be different but overall free skiing I have to go with those four
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They would have to carve me up there, because I am the best skier in the whole world!
 
- Shane McConkey

- Tanner Hall

- Candide Thovex

- Henrik Harlaut

Leaving Seth Morrison off this list hurts.

Same with Sammy C. and Wallisch.

One could definitely make a reasonable case for Jonny Moseley, Plake and JP Auclair, too. These guys all make sense.

But I think the four at the top are the primary reason skiing exists in its present state.
 
Glenn Plake for sure, and if Tanner makes it he has to be wearing the over the head Oakley glasses.
 
Someone with good photoshop skills make this photo, of Candide Thall Tom and Henrik of course, and I may or may not Venmo you 3 dollars
 
14255641:WisconsinDogfart said:
nobody has mentioned simon dumont ?
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Simon was a phenomenal, influential skier with mad longevity; but was not better or more influential than Tanner or Candide.
 
Jon?

Not in my top 4 but deserves a mention.

My four would have to be:

Morrison

Candide

Tanner

Wallisch
 
14255817:steve0 said:
Jon?

Not in my top 4 but deserves a mention.

My four would have to be:

Morrison

Candide

Tanner

Wallisch
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Jon Olsson was a worse competition skier than Tanner, and Jon never made film parts that were as good as Candide's. Both are far more influential than Jon.

The only thing I can say about Jon was that he created the template for the stylish double with his kangaroo flip, which was basically a double backflip 180 with a Japan grab. that's his one notable accomplishment.
 
14255848:codizzle said:
Jon Olsson was a worse competition skier than Tanner, and Jon never made film parts that were as good as Candide's. Both are far more influential than Jon.

The only thing I can say about Jon was that he created the template for the stylish double with his kangaroo flip, which was basically a double backflip 180 with a Japan grab. that's his one notable accomplishment.
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Agreed he's not in the top 4, but I would put him in the top 10.

I'd say this is pretty notable, not to mention JOI and his overall influence on the industry.

Jon Olsson

X Games Medal Count

GOLD - 2

SILVER - 1

BRONZE - 7

X Games Competition History

Winter X 2009 SKI Big Air 2nd

Winter X 2008 SKI Big Air 1st

Winter X 2008 SKI Slopestyle 3rd

Winter X 2007 SKI Slopestyle 9th

Winter X 2006 SKI Best Trick 5th

Winter X 2006 SKI SuperPipe 8th

Winter X 2005 SKI SuperPipe 3rd

Winter X 2005 SKI Slopestyle 3rd

Winter X 2004 SKI Slopestyle 3rd

Winter X 2004 SKI SuperPipe 2nd

Winter X 2003 SKI SuperPipe 3rd

Winter X 2003 SKI Slopestyle 3rd

Winter X 2002 SKI Slopestyle 3rd

Winter X 2002 SKI SuperPipe 1st

Winter X 2001 SKI Big Air 8th

**This post was edited on Mar 9th 2021 at 1:09:48pm
 
14255848:codizzle said:
Jon Olsson was a worse competition skier than Tanner, and Jon never made film parts that were as good as Candide's. Both are far more influential than Jon.

The only thing I can say about Jon was that he created the template for the stylish double with his kangaroo flip, which was basically a double backflip 180 with a Japan grab. that's his one notable accomplishment.
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i'm not saying jon has to be on skiing's Rushmore but you're selling him short here

made dubs cool again, and people had tried. also i think he did the first modern dub 10, or maybe sw dub 10, in addition to the kang flip. i think he did the first sw dub 12 too...?

JOI/JOSS is iconic and "his" style jumps helped make stepovers more popular

was easily one of the biggest killers back in the day, he was blowing everyone's mind when he was doing sw misty 9s and shit in 2001

super consistently had great film segments

is attractive even to straight males
 
14255904:SofaKingSick said:
i'm not saying jon has to be on skiing's Rushmore but you're selling him short here

made dubs cool again, and people had tried. also i think he did the first modern dub 10, or maybe sw dub 10, in addition to the kang flip. i think he did the first sw dub 12 too...?

JOI/JOSS is iconic and "his" style jumps helped make stepovers more popular

was easily one of the biggest killers back in the day, he was blowing everyone's mind when he was doing sw misty 9s and shit in 2001

super consistently had great film segments

is attractive even to straight males
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those are good points
 
14255848:codizzle said:
Jon Olsson was a worse competition skier than Tanner, and Jon never made film parts that were as good as Candide's. Both are far more influential than Jon.

The only thing I can say about Jon was that he created the template for the stylish double with his kangaroo flip, which was basically a double backflip 180 with a Japan grab. that's his one notable accomplishment.
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I mean, without JOSS we wouldnt have this

 
14256051:codizzle said:
those are good points
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all good, i'm not sitting around feeling bad for jon of all people haha but since he went into other worlds after his freeski career, i feel like i've noticed people haven't listed him as much as i think they should when we talk about icons from our world. dude was GOOD and i always think it's interesting that he never had a major injury like most do at that level, i mean shit he was the other skier at both tanner's and dumont's crashes in 2005
 
14256086:SofaKingSick said:
all good, i'm not sitting around feeling bad for jon of all people haha but since he went into other worlds after his freeski career, i feel like i've noticed people haven't listed him as much as i think they should when we talk about icons from our world. dude was GOOD and i always think it's interesting that he never had a major injury like most do at that level, i mean shit he was the other skier at both tanner's and dumont's crashes in 2005
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I think the reason he never got hurt was that he was one of the first to treat it as a "sport" in the sense that he was an athlete, and his training was calculated. The dude almost qualified for Olympic downhill after he retired from freeskiing. He was calculated in the jumps he built and hit, instead of just sending anything.

Dumont and Tanner had to follow that road after they got hurt, and both ended up getting super into fitness once they found out how much it helped.
 
14256086:SofaKingSick said:
all good, i'm not sitting around feeling bad for jon of all people haha but since he went into other worlds after his freeski career, i feel like i've noticed people haven't listed him as much as i think they should when we talk about icons from our world. dude was GOOD and i always think it's interesting that he never had a major injury like most do at that level, i mean shit he was the other skier at both tanner's and dumont's crashes in 2005
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Jon wasn't insane. he was definitely more timid than his peers. and the benefit to that was he lasted a long time without getting his ass broken, and then he could continue a career in alpine racing when he left freeskiing.

My guess is that Dumont and Tanner are going to live with extreme discomfort and physical pain for the remainder of their lives. sort of like NFL players. Simon and Tanner broke themselves that hard. they are lucky they still have use of their brains.
 
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