Skier of the Week: Kent Kreitler

Kent Kreitler invented modern skiing. He is the most criminally underrated skier of his, or any other, generation. With new tricks in the park and big turns in Alaska he sketched the blueprint that today’s pro skiers can only embellish. That’s why its Kent Kreitler week here at Fat Cantab. Let’s kick things off with a cork 3 (on DH boards) in 1994 at the Squaw Valley park… 

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Is this the first documented grab by a skier ever? Kent Kreitler in 1994. A bottle of Penfolds ‘Grandfather’ Tawny Port to anyone who can provide definitive proof of an earlier, or if multiples then earliest, deliberate grab. Of their ski, jackass...
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​At some point in the mid 90’s landing a cliff with a butt check was outlawed and stompage became mandatory – no matter how big or consequential the drop. Kent Kreitler was untroubled by this transition. Here winning the Powder Video Awards ‘Best Line’ in 2003. I’ve rarely seen huge terrain so categorically dwarf a skier – and yet somehow allow the skier to address the mountain on something like equal terms. This figure of Kent should be a case study for graphic design students on reduction to the absolute essential: it is not possible for him to be smaller and still be recognizably a skier. 
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​Personality drives performance; it is the desire to be remembered that pushes us into the unknown. Prior to this advertisement in 1998 pro skiers rarely emerged from behind their goggles. With snowboarding transcendent it was thought that skiers didn’t deserve the burden of celebrity. Whether you think this ad is a total sell out or the crux moment in the creeping professionalism of freeskiing says more about your personal prejudices than anything interesting regarding the K2 Factory Team. That’s Kent looking sharp in the white singlet and ‘phat’ jeans… 

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​For the last 20 years when pro skiers talked about “taking my park game to the backcountry” it was code for “I’m thinking about retiring from competition”. Kent was there earlier and going bigger.
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​Could there be a photo that better captured the zeitgeist in 1998? Kent Kreitler busting the most famous trick in ski history, on his own pro model ski, during a down day of the World Heli Challenge, high above…I can’t imagine where that is. Nice shot by old mate Harro. 

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​That’s a wrap for Kent Kreitler Week! Massive shout out to Kent for his work past and present. Let’s finish up with another facet of his deep back catalogue: pioneering big fast turns on Alaskan peaks…
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