Canadian skier Justine Dufour-Lapointe thriving in freeride after Olympic moguls success
Justine Dufour-Lapointe, the Canadian freeride skier, has had an impressive start to the 2025 FIS Freeride World Tour season. After a hiatus last year due to personal reasons, the 2023 women’s ski champion returned with a bang, clinching first place in Baqueira Beret, Spain, in the season opener. She continued her success by securing a runner-up finish in Val Thorens, France, last week, tying with Astrid Cheylus of France at the top of the women’s ski rankings with 18,000 points.
Dufour-Lapointe expressed her excitement about her strong start, stating, “Starting the season with a win was beyond what I imagined. I was really excited to be back skiing. It was just a wonderful way to kick off the season.” The transition from moguls to freeride skiing was initially daunting for Dufour-Lapointe, given her remarkable success in moguls. She had won Olympic gold in 2014 at Sochi and silver in 2018 at PyeongChang, with 49 World Cup podium finishes in moguls before shifting her focus to the Freeride World Tour in 2022.
Reflecting on her Olympic career, Dufour-Lapointe highlighted the special moments she shared with her sisters Chloé and Maxime, competing together in moguls. She acknowledged the uniqueness of their achievements and expressed gratitude for their time together. Moving forward, Dufour-Lapointe sees freeride skiing as a new challenge that has inspired her to explore something different.
As freeride skiing gains popularity and attracts elite athletes on the Freeride World Tour, Dufour-Lapointe believes the discipline deserves a place in the Olympics. She envisions freeride skiing making its Olympic debut by 2030, citing its pure form as a representation of what people are practicing and watching. With the next stop on the tour at Kicking Horse, Golden, B.C., Dufour-Lapointe is eager to compete in front of a home crowd and draw energy from Canadian supporters.
The upcoming Kicking Horse Golden BC Pro event will be live-streamed on the CBCSports YouTube channel, providing fans with the opportunity to watch Dufour-Lapointe and other top athletes in action. As Dufour-Lapointe continues to excel in freeride skiing, her success and passion for the sport are paving the way for its potential inclusion in the Olympic Games.
