POGO - The Hidden Faces of Romania | Short Ski Movie

Hometown: Amsterdam, Netherlands | Active: 2018-present | Disciplines: freeride, steep skiing Deep snow filled the trees above Tarvisio in 2024 as Loïc Isliker, Silvia Moser, Max Kroneck and Joi Hoffmann moved east with skis and camera equipment carried between railway platforms and mountain approaches. The same journey later reached high alpine terrain in Romania, with the four skiers documenting themselves instead of travelling with a separate film crew. Trains, buses, trams and walking linked the ski days across a three-week journey through eastern Europe, turning the transfers between mountain ranges into part of the footage rather than something left outside the film.... Read more on the Athlete page

Hometown: Amsterdam, Netherlands | Active: 2014-present | Known for: Dutch freeride titles in 2014 and 2015, Hidden Faces films with Loïc Isliker, Above Arolla | Disciplines: freeride, steep skiing, ski touring Stars hung over the Pigne d'Arolla as Paul de Groot climbed in darkness with a heavy pack during the 2024 Above Arolla project. He and Loïc Isliker had chosen a tent instead of a mountain hut and spent a freezing night waiting before the ascent. Under the night sky, the weight of their equipment accompanied each step toward the summit.... Read more on the Athlete page

Hometown: Cluj, Romania | Active: 2010-2024 | Known for: winning Red Bull Oslea Hiride in 2017, POGO - The Hidden Faces of Romania, mountain rescue work in the Făgăraș Mountains | Disciplines: freeride, ski mountaineering Snow reached waist height in places on the Oslea Massif during the 2017 Red Bull Oslea Hiride, while cold and wind followed competitors toward the ridge. Paul Popescu carried his ski equipment uphill with the rest of the Pro field before choosing his own way down the open face. The format joined a climb on foot with a judged freeride descent, putting endurance and mountain movement on the same course.... Read more on the Athlete page

Carpathian ski destination spanning several independent mountain regions | Known for: Sinaia high-altitude terrain, Poiana Brasov, Transalpina, Straja, Arena Platos freestyle and Fagaras ski touring | Season: mainly December to March with higher backcountry snow extending into spring | Best for: exploratory ski trips, local park culture, tree skiing and Carpathian ski mountaineering From The Bucegi Plateau To The Fagaras Crest Romania's ski terrain is distributed along the Carpathians rather than concentrated inside one interconnected destination. The Southern Carpathians contain many of the country's strongest winter zones, including the Bucegi, Fagaras, Parang and Cindrel mountains, while additional ski areas extend through Transylvania and farther north. Moldoveanu reaches 2544 metres in the Fagaras, the highest point in Romania, and several neighbouring summits exceed 2500 metres.... Read more on the Location page

Canadian technical mountain apparel brand | Founded in 1989 in North Vancouver, British Columbia | Known for: GORE-TEX shells, freeride outerwear, ski touring systems, precise construction and minimalist design | Focus: protecting mountain athletes through changing weather, high-output ascents and exposed descents, with products developed around athlete feedback, field testing in the Coast Mountains and long-term durability. 1989 North Vancouver roots shaped by the Coast Mountains Arc'teryx began in 1989 in Vancouver, British Columbia, as a small operation making climbing harnesses and packs. The company describes its origins as a group of climbers focused on solving practical equipment problems, with the nearby Coast Mountains becoming both inspiration and testing ground.... Read more on the Sponsor page

Dutch specialist ski retailer and workshop | Based in Bilthoven with more than 30 years of experience | Known for: bootfitting, ski tuning, freeride and touring equipment, avalanche safety gear and technical advice | Focus: preparing equipment around the individual skier, from precise boot fit and race-level servicing to off-piste safety and touring systems. More than 30 years of ski expertise from Bilthoven MK Skiservice is a specialist ski shop and technical workshop based in Bilthoven in the Netherlands. It is not a ski manufacturer in the conventional sense.... Read more on the Sponsor page

Dutch winter sports apparel brand | Founded in 2011 by Stenmar IJff from handmade beanies | Known for: freeride-oriented outerwear, technical layers, ski socks and community events | Focus: functional winter clothing shaped by skiing, snowboarding and a strong Dutch freeride culture. From handmade beanies in 2011 to a full winter sports label Poederbaas began in the Netherlands when Stenmar IJff started crocheting colorful beanies in 2011 and selling them during ski trips in the Alps. Those handmade hats established the visual side of the brand first: bright winter accessories connected directly to ski travel rather than to a conventional fashion launch.... Read more on the Sponsor page

French mountain sports and ski equipment brand | Founded in 1947 in Annecy by the Salomon family | Known for: ski bindings, SX90 boots, S9000 skis, TenEighty freeski heritage, QST, Stance, MTN, S/RACE, Addikt, départ, S/PRO, SHIFT and S/LAB Shift2 | Focus: complete ski systems for freeride, touring, piste, race, park, Nordic, snowboard and mountain sports. 1947 Annecy origins and the workshop that became a ski system Salomon is one of the defining names in skiing. The brand began in Annecy in 1947, when the Salomon family workshop produced beveled ski edges and metal parts for a mountain region where skiing was rapidly becoming a leisure sport.... Read more on the Sponsor page