Audi Masterclass

Planning & Preparation: A safe, successful freeride excursion begins long before anyone sets foot in the snow. Xavier de Le Rue will guide a conversation through the preliminary stages of preparing for a trip into the backcountry, from route planning and weather forecasting to equipment checks and onsite snow evaluation.

In Action: All the planning in the world means nothing without proper decision-making in the field. De Le Rue will share his knowledge on interacting with the mountain environment, continually gathering information during a tour, analyzing local terrain and conditions, developing backup plans, and the value of trusting your gut feelings and intuition.

Lessons Learned: Over decades of exploits in mountains around the world, de Le Rue’s first-hand experience is second to none. He will divulge valuable insights and takeaways from his years of surviving and thriving in the world’s most challenging snowboarding terrain, and how these experiences have shaped his personal approach to the balance between performance and safety.

Mental training: De Le Rue will be joined by special guest Jörg Wetzel. A mental coach and sports psychologist for the Swiss Olympic team, Wetzel is intimately acquainted with the mental strategies that encourage top athletic performance in the most demanding situations. Wetzel’s expertise lies in fortifying world-class athletes with a competitive mindset, but his insights are equally applicable to the field of freeriding, as well as life’s daily challenges off of the slopes.