Seven questions with freeski triple-threat Birk Ruud

The 2020/21 FIS Freeski World Cup gets underway in just under a month, and in the lead-up to the kickoff in Stubai (AUT) we're reaching out to some of last season's crystal globe winners to get a sense of what it's like to  head into a new winter as top dog, how they've held it together over what was a pretty  difficult summer for everybody, and what their hopes are for the coming season and beyond. Today's feature is 2019/20 big air crystal globe winner Birk Ruud...

If you had to use just one word to describe Norwegian dynamo Birk Ruud you could probably go with this: unique.

There's really no one else in the freeski world quite like the 20 year-old who hails from just outside of Oslo. Sure, there are other skiers with the ability to throw some tricks in all three of the different Olympic freeski events of big air, slopestyle and halfpipe, and there are some other skiers who have fully embraced and mastered the art of self-directed social media entertainment and engagement, and there are a handful of other skiers who seem to have the near-universal respect and admiration that Birk is already cultivating at his young age.

But there is really nobody else on earth who is excelling at all of the above, all at once, at anywhere near the level that Birk Ruud is right now.

Last season Birk entered more FIS Freeski World Cup competitions than anybody else in freeskiing, with 10 results across the three events (in fact, that might be the most FIS Freeski World Cup events entered in one season by any athlete, ever).

But not only did he drop in on those 10 events, he excelled, becoming the first man in World Cup history to make it to finals in big air, slopestyle and halfpipe competitions all in one season. He earned one big air victory and two runner-up results to win the crystal globe, took a slopstyle win in Seiser Alm (ITA), and came oh-so-close to the never-been-done feat of podiums in all three men's events when he finished fifth at the Mammoth Mountain (USA) halfpipe competition.

We could go on and on here in the intro, but on top of everything else Birk Ruud is a fun guy to interview, and we've got our recent Q & A with the man himself right here for your reading enjoyment...

FIS - First off, I just watched the video you did with NRK where you dressed up like an old man and dropped some stnading backflips and some miniramp skating on some unsuspecting people, and it was hilarious - right up there with the "#bananasend" clip as one of my favourites. Obviously, skiing is your number one, but how much fun is it to put stuff like that together and entertain people with off-snow stuff?

Birk Ruud - It’s definitely a lot of fun filming off-snow entertainment. I like to push my boundaries with stunts, and it’s also super funny to be creative with the thoughts in your head and then just go do them in real life! And, it feels good when people enjoy the things that I do.

FIS - You finished second overall on the big air World Cup in 2016/17 and 2018/19  before putting it all together with three podiums in four events to win the crystal globe last season. How satisfying was that for you to finally win the big trophy?

BR - To get my first crystal globe was amazing! After coming so close and having those second-overall finishes in 2016/17 and 2018/19 it really felt like a breakthrough to win the globe last season. I’m very happy to finally achieve consistency when I compete like I did last season. To be consistent and do well over time is something I’ve been working on for a long time, and to achieve that is definitely a blessing.

FIS - After you got your globe in Destne you did X Games at home in Norway, but then the competition season ended and everything went into pandemic lockdown. However, judging from instagram, it looks like you still managed to have a pretty fun summer. What have the last few months been like for you in these crazy times?

BR - The last few months have been different, but I feel like I’ve made the best out of it. I had a bunch of fun this summer…did a lot of cliff diving, skating, and road trips in Norway which gave me the opportunity to visit more of my home country. With the season ending so quickly I took the time to make myself stronger, ski on the Norwegian glacier, and of course hit my summer jib set-up, which is right outside my doorstep.

FIS - By my calculations, you’re the first-ever skier on the men’s side of World Cup competition to make it to the finals in big air, slopestyle and halfpipe all in one season (Devin Logan did it back in 2015/16 for the women). What does it mean to you to be quite possibly the best triple-threat freeskier in the world right now?

BR - To possibly be the best triple threat skier in the world right now sounds crazy, man! I haven’t really thought too much about that, but it’s definitely a big goal for me to take victories and do well in all three disciplines. To ski all three disciplines comes with extra training and extra fun. I feel love and happiness in all three disciplines and I feel like each one makes me a better skier overall.

FIS - We’ve got world championships coming up in February in China and then the Olympics one year after that - what are your goals for the next year and a half? Are you looking to compete in all three freeski events over the next two seasons or will you narrow it down?

BR - I like to set myself big goals, and one of them will of course be to take a medal or three in the coming seasons. But my main goal is to ski up to my best potential in every competition and stay healthy and well along the way. And yes, I will continue to do all three disciplines as long as it feels right

FIS - Who inspired you when you were coming up in the freeski world, and who inspires you now?

BR - As a kid I was looking up to a lot of skiers, like Bobby Brown, Tom Wallisch, Jon Olson, Andreas Haatveit, and more! I loved watching the progression of the sport and to see all the great skiers breaking the boundaries of freeskiing. I also looked up to my coaches who helped me become a better skier and inspired me on the way.

Now I kind of do the same thing but with the skiers in my generation. And of course Henrik Harlaut inspires me in the way he is kind of the oldest on the competition scene and continues to ski better every year. It looks like age is just a number for him…we can’t really see that it’s affecting him at all. He continues to develop and do great every year, and I want to do exactly the same.

FIS - Say one of your fans gets to spend one perfect day with Birk Ruud - where are you taking them and what are guys going to do?

BR - If one of my fans got to spend a day with me it would definitely start on the mountain or at a good skipark. Perfect weather, perfect park, and some nice lunch waiting for us after a good session of skiing. Then I would take them to a trampoline park or a surf spot where we could just chill have a nice time, do some surfing or trampoline jumping, and finish off with some sushi for dinner. After dinner I would take them to the city where we could go do some skating, watch a movie or go shopping if we wanted to. And that’s it. 😁 I think maybe Australia is on of the places we could do all this in one day.