BY KAREN BOSSICK

Sun Valley freeride skier Toby Rafford learned Tuesday that he will have the opportunity to join the rarified air of the many Sun Valley athletes who have gone before, competing in the Winter Olympics.

The International Olympic Committee announced Tuesday morning that it will add Freeride Skiing and Snowboarding to the 2030 Olympic program.

“Competing in Freeride at the Olympics is the dream, honestly,” said Rafford, who is the 2026 FIS Freeride World Tour Vice Champion for Ski Men and Freeride World Tour’s 2025 Rookie of the Year.

“It would be an honor to represent Team USA, but beyond that it would be massive for the sport overall,” he added. “Now that it's officially on for 2030, I’m super excited to put a lot of my energy into qualifying.”

The 2030 Winter Olympics will be held in the French Alps. Twenty-two female and 22 male Freeride skiers and snowboarders will be given the opportunity to compete in four Freeride events.

The sport of Freeride involves skiers and boarders riding on natural—think extreme—terrain. There are no slalom poles, grooming, artificial jumps or halfpipes. They’re judged on the line they choose.

The first international snowboarding freeride competition took place on the legendary Bec des Rosses in Verbier, Switzerland, in 1996. In 2004 the competition was expanded to include skiers and in 2008 the Freeride World Tour was created.

One of its attractions for Olympic organizers is Freeride’s growth among young audiences, much like the attraction the sports of skateboarding, climbing and surfing hold for them.

“The energy surrounding the Olympics is truly unlike anything else so I can’t wait to see it all go down,” said Mia Jones, of Truckee, Calif., who is the reigning FISS Freeride World Champion and 2026 FWT champion.