Elias Syrjä

Profile and significance

Elias Syrjä is a Finnish freeski athlete specialising in big air and slopestyle, born on 28 August 1998 and representing Finland with rising prominence. His biggest recent achievement is a **silver medal in the men’s big air** at the 2025 FIS Freestyle Ski and Snowboarding World Championships 2025 in Engadin, Switzerland. :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2} Prior to that he had recorded strong finishes in World Cup big air events—including top-5 finishes—marking him as part of the next tier of big air contenders internationally. :contentReference[oaicite:3]{index=3}

Competitive arc and key venues

Syrjä first appeared in World Cup competition in big air in late 2019 and early 2020 with strong results—such as 5th place in December 2019 in Beijing. :contentReference[oaicite:4]{index=4} Over the next seasons he accumulated solid placements and by the 2024-25 season he qualified for top finals and secured his major podium in Engadin in March 2025. :contentReference[oaicite:5]{index=5} Key venues in his run include Tignes (France) and Engadin (Switzerland) in the 2025 season, where he placed 5th in big air at Tignes and subsequently 2nd at the World Championships in Engadin. :contentReference[oaicite:6]{index=6}

How they ski: what to watch for

Syrjä’s big air runs display strong height, crisp takeoffs and clean landings with grab integrity. Rather than simply chasing the highest degree spins, he often focuses on the combination of amplitude, execution and grab quality—this balanced approach helps him stand out among big-air fields where many riders compromise form for rotation. As a viewer, keep an eye on his body position before the lip, the delay in spin initiation to preserve axis, and the smooth bolt landings that give him separation in finals. In slopestyle his results are less dominant, but he uses his big-air strength to carry speed and amplitude into jump hits, making his run pattern more back-loaded and strategic.

Resilience, filming, and influence

Though Syrjä’s major breakthrough on the podium came in 2025, his consistent presence in top-10 finishes over several seasons shows resilience and adaptation. He remained competitive in evolving big-air judging criteria, which increasingly reward style and amplitude as much as rotation count. He is also featured by his equipment partner Faction Skis on their athlete roster, giving him a platform for visibility beyond the contest circuit. :contentReference[oaicite:8]{index=8} For emerging skiers, his arc illustrates how patience, consistency and targeted peaks (rather than constant podiums) can still lead to major results.

Geography that built the toolkit

Coming from Finland and representing the club Freestyleseura Möbius, Syrjä’s development route involved training in the Scandinavian winter environment, where parks and jump setups are comparatively less commercialised than in North America, requiring self-reliance and technical precision. :contentReference[oaicite:9]{index=9} His transition to strong performances on major international scaffolding—such as Chur, Tignes and Engadin—demonstrates his adaptability to larger features, varied snow conditions and global contest pressure.

Equipment and partners: practical takeaways

With a public athlete page on Faction Skis, Syrjä uses gear designed for park and big-air use, indicating his priorities: pop, durability and consistent response. :contentReference[oaicite:10]{index=10} For progressing skiers wanting to emulate his path, the practical lesson is to invest in a ski that offers predictable pop and edge stability on large jumps, mount near centre for switch / both-direction competence, and build a jump-specific training block where execution (grabs, axis, landing) is prioritised before adding rotation degree.

Why fans and progressing skiers care

Fans care because Syrjä is approaching the elite podium group in big air with style and consistency, and his 2025 World Championship silver proves he can deliver under big-stage pressure. For progressing skiers he matters because his path shows that you don’t need to dominate early to reach top-level results—you need steady progress, technical strength and the ability to peak at the right time. Study his final hits in Engadin: quiet take-offs, effective grabs, clean landings and the right balance between amplitude and execution.