Magali, a skiing story

Magali takes us into her world of fresh snow and steep slopes to tell us about her skiing and test season with Wedze.
Over to our freeride ambassador, who is always ready to carve turns with her defining smile and determination!

A life dedicated to skiing

I don't remember a time I didn't ski, my parents put me on skis as soon as I could walk, so it has always been part of me. However, I have always skied somewhat unconventionally and alternatively, I never went to a skiing club like most skiers. I only became a member of the skiing association at the Manigod club 3 years ago to get back to basics and learning trajectories and poles, it helps me progress and be more precise when freeriding.

I was a bit fed up of always doing the same thing because I got short of breath and strength so I went off the beaten track to get fitter and fully enjoy my descents.

I did everything for the thrills and get pleasure downhill, and that is true in my life in general: a few years ago, I decided to organise my time around my passion and I became a freelance to increase flexibility in my schedule.

In all the sports I enjoy, I always try to find exercises that will enable me to be more comfortable on my skis, both muscle-wise and for stamina.

From prototyping to long-term testing, her experience with wedze

I completely agreed with the Wedze process, they were looking for female testers to see if there was a real difference in skiing between men and women. The project went far beyond product marketing (colour, design), they really wanted to find out more about construction and materials to see if there were technical and/or physical differences.

More than a discussion...

During the Private High Test, I was able to talk with the team, report on my sensations and give feedback on the skis. We got on well and they liked my approach. I own some twenty-odd pairs of skis, that I get out depending on the conditions and what I want to do that day, which enabled us to have a good discussion with the team about what I liked about each ski, why and when I used them, to better understand what I was looking for as a freerider.

Then I took part in the development process by testing prototypes to give concrete experience feedback and define the programme for each ski. Finally, the SLASH 100 and PATROL 95 both have a women's version, I think it is great to develop women's sports in such a way, not only based on what women love but also what they are able to do.It was wonderful to work with the brand, they work to improve and are constantly seeking the sweet spot. I thought their approach was brilliant, it is similar to freeride practices and leaves a wide range of expression open to freeriders.

The patrol 95 w, high performance freeriders

For the long-term test throughout last season, I chose the PATROL 95W, a real all mountain freeride ski that I can get out when I go for the steepest slopes, in all conditions. We often have fresh and soft snow at the top, and as we descend, snow is less easy, harder and more crusty, so the idea is to have a ski that adapts to all these conditions. With the PATROL 95W, I can go for all these types of snow and really commit the skis in large curves, use tight/jumped turns, gain speed, and the skis will not have problems finishing with a few turns on piste. Personally, I also like the marked, rigid heel that supports us really well.

To push the PATROL 95 W to their limits, I took them to La Grave in massive conditions in a couloir.The snow was hard, a bit like corn snow, and I felt that the ski gripped slightly less at the front of the tip, as if I had a badly-prepared edge or burrs. Finally, in these extreme conditions I think I found the limit of those skis. Before arriving in that type of couloir and snow, there is a whole range of conditions to explore for which these skis are perfect. I really think that the PATROL 95 W are designed for skiers who want to have fun and progress in a playing field with a lot of varied conditions.

Freeriding according to magali, pleasure and challenge

You don't wake up one day and think "Oh, I freeride", you start on the edges of the slopes, then see that there are places to explore a little further if you carry your skis on your back and then you go free touring to seek even more sensations. Everything happens in a logical order and you realise you are freeriding, not because you sought to do it but because you progress to it. Wedze's vision of levels is pretty accurate, a freerider 100, 500 or 900. The team really tries to understand freeriders without distorting the practice and making it accessible to greater numbers.

A utopian vision of freeriding

I have a rather utopian view of freeriding, for me it is about contact with the mountain and nature, and sharing the pleasure of it with people who feel the same way as me. I don't like the competitive side of skiing, I don't think it works in this sport.
When descending, sensations are so pure that I often feel alone and privileged in a natural environment that can appear hostile. Extreme freedom and pure pleasure is a priority over all else. You don't have to look far to experience such moments, I often look for great snowfall, I check the weather, the snow cover, in advance to schedule my skiing session a few days in advance. Most often, the perfect day comes in the spots I know by heart, and if I get there first I can carve my tracks into the fresh snow on lines that I can ski with my eyes closed. There are also great moments, when you have a precise and slightly ambitious aim with two friends (another skier and a snowboarder) and our plan goes marvelously well, with all the right conditions. It is really fantastic, we plan with my girlfriends and then boast about it when we debrief with friends around a beer in the evening! It is also a source of great pride, we increase our independence and become more knowledgeable on all things freeriding: safety, snow science, weather, etc.

Magali, a skiing story

Thanks mag!

Magali, Wedze ambassador and freerider seeking absolute pleasure, won over the entire team with her very cool and unconventional approach of freeriding skiing and constant search for thrills.We share the love of the sport with her, the joy of experiencing these moments with others and the constant search for truth in our approach of freeriding, making this collaboration a shared success.

Cedric piatek

Digital leader

#powderday