first Swedish national team in Freeride – the next step towards the 2030 Olympics

Sport

22/October/2026

first Swedish national team in Freeride – the next step towards the 2030 Olympics

Since freeride became part of the Swedish Ski Association (SSF), the work to develop the sport in Sweden has continued to take shape, now the first Swedish national teams in freeride are presented.

The initiative is an important step in SSF's continued work to develop Swedish freeride and create even better opportunities for Swedish skaters to reach the international top - with the 2030 Winter Olympics as a long-term goal.

"The national teams are established in two levels, an A-National Team which will consist of the Swedish riders who will ride on the Freeride World Tour during the coming season and the Team Svenska spel Development National Team which will compete at FWT Challenger. With the format FWT uses where both the highest levels Challenger and FWT have seasonal starting fields and a relatively high risk of losing a place in the event of injury or similar, it will be incredibly important to invest heavily in the U-team to ensure that we maintain places at the highest level, "says Mats Olofsson, Development Manager Freeride.

The national teams are part of the continued investment in Swedish freeride, with the goal of supporting and developing the sport from the grassroots to the elite and giving the skiers the best possible conditions to reach their full potential. Through the investment, the national teams will have access to Kläppens airbag and Höstpark where the skiers can practice jumps, technique and test new moves in a safer environment, support from the association during the competition season and access to the many support functions that are established within the Swedish Ski Association.

"Above all, the positioning within the SSF family, together with Freeski and Snowboard, gives the Freeride initiative fantastic opportunities to develop. There is extensive experience and expertise here in how to build passion-driven sports with a clear culture of its own. This applies not least to the work together with organizers and clubs to develop the sport from the grassroots level," says Mats Olofsson, Development Manager Freeride.

Sweden has for many years established itself as a strong freeride nation, with Swedish riders taking podiums and medals at several levels. Edvin Olsson has taken his place among the world's top riders on the Freeride World Tour, while a new generation of Swedish riders, including Elly Olsson, Arvid Gustavsson and Ingrid Wahlberg, have made their mark on the international scene.

Arvid Gustavsson. Photo: David Wesslén.

First step towards the 2030 Olympics

On July 7, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) confirmed that freeride on both skis and snowboards will be part of the Olympic program at the 2030 Winter Olympics in France. For the first time, freeride will have the opportunity to take its place on the world's largest sports stage.

– We have a very strong freeride scene in Sweden and many riders who have already shown that they can compete internationally. Now we have the opportunity to gather that expertise and build on what already exists. The national team is the beginning of a long-term investment where the 2030 Olympics is an important milestone, says Stefan Karlsson, sports director for freeride at the Swedish Ski Association.

Freeride Team Sweden 2026/2027

A-National Team

Edvin Olsson

Club: Åre Freerides Club

Class: Skis

Team Svenska Spel development national team

Ingrid Wahlberg

Club: Åre slk

Class: Skis

Elly Olsson

Club: Östersund Frösö SLK

Class: Skis