Power. Powder. Peaks. Off-piste with freerider Tao Kreibich

Words alone cannot describe Tao Kreibich and his boundless courage away from the ski slopes. Perhaps that's why the likeable freerider regularly reaches for his camera when he's skiing in the most remote places in the mountains. In this portrait story, Tao talks to us about calculated risks off-piste, his reasons for leaving competitive sport, and which childhood dream he is fulfilling.

Between the mountains

Suddenly, everything happens very quickly. Tao has time for an interview earlier than planned and calls from the airport gate in Georgia via video. His curls peek out from under his cap, and in the background, the first passengers are already checking in. He has just returned from the Freeride World Tour: “The conditions in Georgia weren't so easy, jumping was difficult, and avalanches were also an issue.” Tao used to compete in the competition, but today he secures the slope before the competition and checks the conditions on the mountain before the start. Is there an increased risk of avalanches? Are the jumps over rocks feasible? He notifies the organizers by radio.

Friendship comes first

Tao started out as a competitive skier in ski schools and boarding schools, but at 16, he no longer enjoyed the highly competitive aspect. "I then discovered and followed the Freeride World Tour and thought it was cool. At Arlberg, I sat in the lift with a female skier and talked to her about these events and freeriding. That inspired me a lot, and shortly afterwards I took part in the Junior Competition, which was held at the same time as the World Tour. I loved it immediately. The vibe is completely different, the kids are all very friendly to each other, and after the competition we continued skiing together. It's the complete opposite of ski racing, where there were hardly any friendships because the competition didn't allow it. Even with my long-time roommates at boarding school and training partners, we were still more competitors than friends."

Calculated risk – that's freeriding

Freeriding away from the groomed slopes involves skiing or snowboarding downhill on a marked route with a slope gradient of 40 to 50 degrees. The most important factors here are the line you take and the fluid rhythm of your movements, but also the difficulty of the meter-high jumps over protruding rocks. Safety equipment is mandatory and the slopes are approved in advance by avalanche experts. "When it comes to freeriding, I was fascinated by the community among the riders from the very beginning – everyone is super nice. It's about me against the mountain instead of me against the others. Everyone else is happy when someone has completed a cool run – that's what grabbed me and still does today."

Of course, there is always a residual risk. A drone video won't show you a rock hidden 5 cm under the snow. Over the years, Tao has developed an eye for assessing this better. His reference points are trees or rocks that have a distinctive shape, so-called exit safe spots – points where he can stop in the event of an avalanche. The most spectacular part is the jumps.

New paths  

The sport is receiving more and more media attention. The first Freeride World Championship is scheduled to take place in 2026, and in the coming years, riders will compete in the Winter Olympics for the first time. "I'm not a big fan of it becoming an Olympic sport. The sport is developing on its own. The riders are getting younger and younger and performing more extreme jumps. The World Tour is getting more media attention. I have the feeling that, when it comes to marketing, little will stick with the athletes themselves." There is a balancing act between maintaining the original idea of the sport and allowing organic growth.  

After two years as a rider on the World Tour, Tao is now also breaking new ground.

No tracks in the snow

Tao can showcase his creativity even better away from the World Tour in the form of his own videos on his YouTube channel “Life of Tao,” which he shoots together with cameraman Gabriel in the snowy mountains. The Austrian doesn't have a planned schedule. "It happens spontaneously, because every winter is different. The only important thing is that there is snow and that I already know someone there or can get in touch with locals. Then we pack the camera and fly off. I use weather and map apps to check out the area. We always have a drone with us to help us find our way around the mountain. I've learned to stay spontaneous, that works best." They often start with touring skis, climbing the mountain until they can't go any further. "Where there are no tracks in the snow and no one has skied before: that's what I find exciting. In terrain that is difficult to access, a helicopter takes them to the summit. 

The difficult part is that the jumps have to be perfect right away and be of high quality. Whether it's a backflip or a threesixty, there isn't much time to film the jump. "It's funny, in the past, competitions were about practicing jumps several times and then improving. Building up more and more speed and landing even flatter. Now that has changed. I ski less and the runs have to be of higher quality. It's kind of my routine, but sometimes I have to practice jumps and tricks again (laughs). I'm on the explorer side, I want to ski new mountains that no one has been to before and no one thought you could even ski there. That really appeals to me."
 

Skiing without limits

For Tao, no distance is too far to discover something new. Japan, Patagonia, Lebanon, Chile—everywhere Tao strives for new adventures and experiences above the clouds. "Last November we were in Kazakhstan, now four times in Georgia. In countries like Uzbekistan, Pakistan, and China, there are so many mountains that no one has skied on. Those are the places I find most exciting, where no one knows you can ski there and there are no classic ski resorts. There, you can do some really cool stuff with a helicopter and go ski touring to reach the summit."

Preparation and follow-up for meter-high jumps

Tao uses the summer to get in top physical shape for the winter season. When he started on the World Tour, he trained at the Olympic Center in Tyrol.

"But now I don't feel like I belong there anymore when the athletes are working hard for the Olympics (laughs). I'm more of an outdoor type and try to hike a lot in the summer and ride my bike up the mountains. Since I often go ski touring, my endurance is important, so that's the focus of my training. Every now and then, I also have to do strength training."  

He often feels the physical strain of a strenuous day with lots of jumps the next day. When jumping, the neck and legs absorb several times the body weight when landing in extreme situations. "BLACKROLL is extremely important to me as a recovery partner. Everything hurts in the evening and I have to work on my muscles first during my après-ski routine. First, I roll my back and legs over the Foamroller to loosen up my muscles. I also use the FASCIA GUN for this. Then I always lie down in the COMPRESSION BOOTS to refresh my legs. My sleep is also a great source of recovery. At home and when traveling, the RECOVERY PILLOW is always a must.

A dream comes true

There are places that make freeriders' hearts beat faster. Japan was very impressive, says Tao, but every freerider's dream is to ski in Alaska. “I've wanted to go there since I was 16. My mind is already in Alaska, where we'll be skiing and filming throughout April. I've already made initial contact with the local ski guides and received the first photos. Alaska is THE project and my season finale,” he says with sparkling eyes.