In women’s snowboarding, opportunities to progress in backcountry riding are few and far between. The learning curve is steep, and mastering skills—such as choosing lines, working with photographers, and navigating avalanche terrain—takes years. But Research & Development (RnD), an event spearheaded by backcountry freestyle advocate and pioneer Robin Van Gyn, is changing that.
RnD is more than just a competition; it’s an immersive experience designed to fast-track riders’ growth in freestyle backcountry snowboarding. Athletes spend the week learning from seasoned pros, working with photographers and filmers, and building a portfolio of top-tier footage. It’s part mentorship, part contest, and fully focused on pushing female backcountry freestyle snowboarding forward.
This year’s event was held at Whitewater Ski Resort in Nelson, BC, where 18 women explored challenging terrain, collaborated, and refined their skills before competing in a high-stakes contest in Whitewater’s sidecountry, the Trash Chutes. Robin and her team had been building jumps in this steep, technical area beneath the cliffs and chutes for the past few weeks. After the competition day, riders filmed their best clips over two days. The overall competition was judged in two parts: 50% for competition day and 50% for the filmed footage.
On competition day, Czech rider Sarka Pancochova impressed by navigating through the cliffs on the Comp Day Venue’s upper freeriding section and landing a frontside 360 into a backside 360 off the final jumps. During the filming days, Sarka shifted her focus to backcountry riding, having already showcased her freestyle strength on competition day. She tackled a gnarly rock cliff that jutted out like a pizza slice. Her combination of precision and creativity earned her the win, a $5,000 prize, and a coveted invite to the 2025 Natural Selection Tour.
“I was devastated when I didn’t make the Natural Selection duels in Japan,” Pancochova shared. “But here, I was pumped for a second chance. There were so many good riders, and in powder, anything can happen. Luckily, I rode well, got a little lucky, and now I’m excited for Revelstoke.”
Beyond her win, Pancochova highlighted the progression she saw at RnD. “I was so impressed by the 17 girls sending it in pow. Estelle’s (Pensiero) natty back 3 off a fresh takeoff was insane. Marissa (Krawczak) was riding gnarly lines in zero visibility. And Eva (Eva Van Vugt)—without goggles or a beanie, just charging that pillow line—was unbelievable.”
For Pancochova, RnD offers something rare in competitive snowboarding—a space for women to push each other in the backcountry. “There aren’t many comps like this—maybe the Freeride World Tour or Natural Selection—but this is a perfect entry-level opportunity to progress on a competition stage before stepping into something bigger.”
Looking ahead to Natural Selection, she’s taking a strategic approach: “I’ll find the best jumps and try to incorporate them into my lines. That worked here, and I’ll use the same strategy at Natural Selection.”
Pancochova was joined on the podium by Estelle Pensiero in second and Mia Jones in third, earning $3,000 and $2,000, respectively.
But RnD isn’t just about podiums; it’s about pushing limits, gaining confidence in new terrain, and walking away with experience that will shape careers.
Celia Petrig’s Journey from Arc'teryx Academy to RnD
Swiss rider Celia Petrig earned her spot at RnD through the Arc'teryx Academy in St. Anton, a unique blend of competition and education. “The Academy felt more like a workshop than a contest,” Petrig explained. “We were riding with Robin [Van Gyn] and four other girls, taking the time to learn. We discussed our line choices, supported each other, and even built a jump together. It was such a cool, female-led experience.”
Petrig doesn’t often ride this type of terrain in Laax, where snow conditions can be inconsistent, but she’s eager to ride more after this experience. Her journey from St. Anton to Whitewater shows how events like RnD and the Arc'teryx Academy are opening new paths for women in backcountry snowboarding.
Riding with the girls at RnD gives Celia new insights. “I’ve never ridden anything that steep before. It’s deep, serious terrain, and it changed my approach. For me, riding powder used to be playful and on resort, but now I think about sluff management.” For the filming section, Celia put down a really playful segment of a front three and continued riding with eight more hits down the mountain, switching them up from a stalefish to a melon.
Looking ahead, she’s excited for future freeride events and hopes more women will get involved. “There’s not much support for freeride events in Europe. Having brands like Yeti and Arc'teryx behind RnD is huge. It’s amazing to see more brands backing events like this.”
Petrig also values the event's impact: “It’s been incredible riding with so many women who are pushing the boundaries in the backcountry. Having a supportive environment where we can all grow and learn is essential. I really love how everyone sees the mountain in their own way—it's such a beautiful thing. We couldn’t predict who would win because each rider has their own unique strength. It’s so exciting to witness, and for me, that’s the highlight.”
Enni Rukajärvi, a rider from Finland, found the terrain in Nelson to be exactly what she loves to ride. In the filming section of the RnD she threw down a back three to stale double line.
“The snow is amazing,” she shares. “The terrain in BC is much more technical, and the opportunity to combine freeriding with jumps is fantastic.” For Enni, RnD provides women with a valuable opportunity to grow and gain recognition in freeride snowboarding.
“In Europe, we don’t have events that blend freeride and freestyle, so this is a chance for us to push our limits and show the world what we can do.” Her passion for backcountry riding has only deepened: “I’ve competed in many freestyle contests and now my focus is backcountry. It’s exciting to see how things are evolving, and I believe we’ll see more women excelling in all areas of snowboarding.”
Both Celia and Enni are thankful for the event's impact and Robin's role in advancing women’s snowboarding. "You can already see the progression," says Enni.
“It’s a dream come true,” Celia shares. “We’re fortunate to have Robin pushing the limits of women’s snowboarding. This event has opened so many doors for us, and I’m excited to see the next generation of riders follow in our footsteps.”
Both riders are optimistic about the future of women’s snowboarding. Celia sees more European women becoming involved in freeride events like RnD: “There are so many girls at home who could be here,” she says. “I hope that next year, we’ll see more of them. The energy here is incredible. It feels like a mini revolution.”
Enni adds, “It’s important for more women to be represented in freeride events around the world. This event is an incredible opportunity, and I hope it will inspire more women to join in.”
