Elyse Saugstad snags FREESKIER's 2018 Female Skier of the Year

FREESKIER is proud to announce that Elyse Saugstad is the 2018 female Skier of the Year (SOTY), as voted by her peers.

To determine the winners, we contacted over 200 of the most talented and knowledgeable professional skiers out there and had them rank the athletes they felt had the best 2018 ski season. “Best season” is a term open to interpretation, but we ask the athletes to think about a few things, including, but not limited to, film segments, web series and edits, contest results, magazine exposure and overall impact in regards to spreading skiing stoke and growth.

Each nomination (1-3) corresponds with a point value: A #1 pick earns 10 points, a #2 pick earns five points and so on. Thereby, if a particular skier shows up consistently in the #3 or #4 slot, they’d still have a shot at faring well in the final tally. There were no restrictions on nominations; skiers were able to throw any and all names in the ring.

This year, Saugstad swept the top honors on the women’s side, earning her SOTY distinction for the first time. Her recognition for this year’s award is due in large part to her role and performance in Matchstick Productions’, All In, which flipped the paradigm of the female film skier on its head. We caught up with the Alaska native to discuss her new crown, seasons past and what’s next for this badass lady shredder.

Header image: Tal Roberts