RnD Recap 2025 | Robin Van Gyn Redefines Big Mountain Riding

by Natalie Langmann

The energy at The Royal in Nelson, BC, exploded like a thunderclap as the recap video rolled, showcasing 18 women riders and igniting the crowd into a deafening roar that made the walls tremble. The excitement hit its peak with a jaw-dropping clip of local Eva Van Vugt dropping a massive 50+ foot cliff at Whitewater Ski Resort, stomping her landing in style, before taking the stage to receive the Super Sender Award—an unforgettable moment that set the tone for the night. It felt like the place was on the verge of erupting. When Sarka Pancochova raised her first-place check, it felt like the universe was saying, “This is just the beginning. Don’t worry, we’ve got you.” Fresh off a near-miss at the NST Duels, Sarka won the golden ticket and is now heading to the Revelstoke finals of the Natural Selection Tour.

[o] Chomlack

Robin Van Gyn, dressed in a gold pantsuit, took a moment to celebrate the women who had made an impact that week. As women in gold took to the stage, sparkles filled the air. Billy Pelchat, wearing a gold coin belt, rushed up to accept her "Very Proper" Award for flawlessly executing every trick and line—like her pow line to cab 5 footage—throughout the week.

Later, when Estelle Pensiero, who placed second overall, was asked why she couldn’t keep up with Billy’s dancing, the scene was pure chaos. Billy was shaking her coin belt at Marie-France Roy, who rocked a painted-on gold goatee and a gold top hat, surrounded by 17 other girls, all dressed in Nelson's finest thrifted gold apparel. Estelle flashed a grin and replied, “Billy’s got Wildcat genes—few can keep up with her when it comes to partying.” Two seconds later, Estelle was back on stage, dancing in a whirlwind of gold.

Moments like these made the week unforgettable: all these women leaving with something that changed their lives or left a lasting impact, whether it was a new skill, a new connection, a fresh perspective, or a boardbag full of gold sparkles.

[o] Campbell

Opportunities for advancement in backcountry riding for women have been rare, with a steep learning curve that requires years of experience to master skills like line selection, collaborating with photographers, and navigating avalanche terrain. But Research & Development (RnD), led by backcountry freestyle trailblazer Robin Van Gyn, is changing that. RnD isn’t just a competition; it’s an immersive experience designed to fast-track riders’ growth in freestyle backcountry snowboarding.

This year, 18 women spent the week learning from seasoned professionals such as Jess Kimura, Hana Beaman, Marie-France Roy, Kimmy Fasani, and, of course, Robin Van Gyn, working with photographers and filmmakers and building impressive portfolios of high-quality footage. It combines mentorship, competition, and a shared goal to elevate women’s backcountry freestyle snowboarding. Held at Whitewater Ski Resort in Nelson, BC, the event pushed riders to conquer challenging terrain, hone their skills through collaboration, and compete in a high-pressure contest at the Trash Chutes—a sidecountry area of steep cliffs. Robin and her team had spent weeks with Ben Bilocq, Austen Sweeting and a local crew of Teddy, Mac, Jacob, building jumps in the lower section of this technical freeriding zone. After the competition day wrapped, riders filmed their best clips over two days. The overall competition was judged 50% on contest day performance and 50% on filmed footage. So, if your strength was in your freestyle ability, you would need to step up big-mountain technical prowess on the filming days or vice-versa.

Ellie Weiler [o] Walsh

Marie-France Roy, one of the judges, emphasized the significance of these kinds of events: "Creating opportunities for women to be included and get the chance to show their talent in any sport is so important. Women's Backcountry snowboarding specifically has experienced a gap in support in the last decade, and events like RnD are essential to bring back more support to these talented athletes to be elevated to the level they truly deserve. We are seeing women across all sports right now absolutely crush it and totally exceed the level we expected that they could ever reach in such a short timeline, and that is the direct result of giving them more support, inclusion and equal opportunities. Instead of the redundant past rhetoric that 'women need to do more and get better in order to get equal opportunities', it seems like people are finally waking up and realizing that in order to reach equal results, you need to offer equal support and opportunities to start with, which is not what has happened throughout history of women in sports and beyond. Thanks to events like RnD, (especially Robin, YETI, Arc’teryx and all the partners) for continuing to create space for women and hopefully sooner than later we can achieve actual equal representation across the board.”

Enni Rukajärvi [o] Chomlack

Have you ever had one of those moments when things don’t go as planned, so you push harder to make it happen? And when success finally comes, it feels like the universe is saying, “It wasn’t meant to happen that way, but sometimes, when you don’t give up and push yourself beyond your limits, things fall into place in ways you never expected.” That’s what Research and Development (RnD) is all about: changing lives and reimagining the future of women’s freeride progression, creating a snowboarding future that feels like a living, breathing reality. It seemed to be a common theme with many of the girls throughout the week. The spirit of resilience, determination, and collaboration ran through everything, creating an environment where each rider could level up in ways they never expected.

Billy Pelchat [o] Wiesman

As Robin Van Gyn knows well, victory is about more than just skill—it’s about strategy and resilience. Success in backcountry freestyle snowboarding requires more than raw talent; it’s about showing up, giving it your all, and demonstrating strength through smart line choices, big-mountain riding, and the tricks you can land. Robin’s journey to the 2021 Natural Selection Women’s Overall title is a true testament to resilience. After being eliminated by Zoi Sadowski-Synnott in Wyoming that year, Robin made a strong comeback at Baldface Valhalla in Nelson, ultimately claiming the overall victory in Alaska. At the time, she didn’t have a board sponsor and was riding in an Arc'teryx jacket that wasn’t yet her official sponsor. That win marked a turning point in her career—and perhaps it was then she realized the importance of creating spaces for women in freestyle backcountry riding, offering them a platform to shine, grow, and be seen. It was likely in that moment that Robin knew she needed to help bridge the gap for women competing in this style of riding on a global stage.

Egan Wint [o] Miller

As the week unfolded, powerful moments kept emerging. One that truly stood out was when locals in Nelson wore white shirts with “Eva” written across them, cheering her on as she charged down the Comp Day venue, conquering a quad pillow line—though she didn’t quite stomp the landing. (That video clip has since gone viral). Later, during the filming segment, Eva stomped a 50-70 foot cliff—no goggles, no toque—just pure, unapologetic style. Eva was channeling a ‘90s snowboarding vibe—think Tom Burt, Tex Davenport, and Karleen Jeffries—coming from one of the most chill and kind-hearted people around. She even took the week off from her third year of nursing school to be there. With no sponsors except Tribute Board Shop and a request from Whitewater to put a local in, board companies are starting to take notice. Eva, we salute you.

Eva Van Vugt [o] Miller

Eva Fan Club [o] Floros

Gillian Andrewshenko, the event's RMT (registered massage therapist), arrived and was quickly invited by Robin to join the contest when a spot opened up. She rode hard all day, massaged every night, and was eventually invited to be the RMT for the 2025 NST. That’s what RnD is about—creating unexpected opportunities for riders to level up in ways they never saw coming.

Gillian Andrewshenko [o] Wiseman

Sarka may not have made the NST Duels, but she came to Nelson seeking redemption—and it turned into a perfect opportunity. Having just claimed the King and Queen’s title at Corbetts in Jackson Hole, Sarka is on a roll. “Progression in the backcountry is about having a strong group of women pushing each other,” Sarka said. “Robin’s been incredible in making this happen. This event gives riders a perfect entry-level opportunity to develop their skills before stepping into bigger events like the Natty Select. It’s amazing.”

Sarka Pancochova [o] Campbell

Competition day saw Sarka drop into the Comp Day Venue, navigating cliffs and landing a frontside 360 into a backside 360 off the final jumps. During filming days, she shifted her focus to the backcountry, attacking gnarly rock cliffs with precision and creativity. Her combination of freestyle on Comp Day and clever line choices during filming earned her the win, a $5,000 prize, and a coveted invite to the 2025 Natural Selection Tour. Looking ahead to Natural Selection, Sarka is taking a strategic approach: “I’ll find the best jumps and incorporate them into my lines. That worked here, and I’ll use the same strategy at Natural Selection.”

Beyond her victory, Sarka Pancochova was quick to highlight the progression she witnessed at RnD. “I was blown away by the 17 girls sending it in pow. Estelle Pensiero’s natty back 3 off a fresh takeoff was insane. Marissa Krawczak was riding gnarly lines in near-zero visibility. And Eva—no goggles, no toque, just charging that pillow line—was unreal.”

Estelle Pensiero [o] Chomlack

What stood out the most, however, was the sense of camaraderie and mutual respect shared among the riders. Each woman celebrated the other's achievements. Egan Wint, known for pushing her limits with double backflips on both filming days, was in awe of big-mountain rider Zoe Vernon. "I watch everyone drop before me, as I always drop last. Watching Zoe snowboard was incredible—she knows exactly what she’s looking for, finds it, and just flows down the mountain. She really knows how to ride, naturally linking everything together so smoothly—that’s why they call her Zoë Flowey. When she dropped into Zone 2, I was like, ‘Damn.’ I’m still taking my first turn, and she’s already sending it, hitting all these pillows. I thought, ‘Maybe I need to rethink my approach.’”

Zoe Vernon [o] Floros

Celia Petrig reflected on the event’s powerful impact: “It’s been incredible riding with so many women who are pushing the boundaries in the backcountry. Having a supportive environment where we can all grow and learn is essential. I love how everyone sees the mountain in their own way—it’s such a beautiful thing. We couldn’t predict who would win because each rider has their own unique strength. It’s so exciting to witness, and for me, that’s the highlight.”

Enni Rukajärvi, reflecting on the event's significance, said, “In Europe, we don’t have events that blend freeride and freestyle, so this is a chance for us to push our limits and show the world what we can do.” Her passion for backcountry riding continues to grow: “I’ve competed in many freestyle contests, and now my focus is on backcountry. It’s exciting to see how things are evolving, and I believe we’ll see more women excelling in all areas of snowboarding.”
In the end, it wasn’t just about the competition; it was about the shared experience of pushing boundaries, inspiring each other, and growing together in a supportive community.

This year’s competition featured a strong European and North American crew, including Enni Rukajärvi, Sarka Pancochova, and Celia Petrig from Europe; Estelle Pensiero, Billy Pelchat, Gillian Andrewshenko, and Eva Van Vugt from Canada; and Marissa Krawczak, Zoë Vernon, Izzy Gomez, Emilé Zynobia, Katie Kennedy, Ellie Weiler, Cali Loeb, Amaya Potts, Egan Wint, Mia Jones, and Ellery Manning from the United States.

[o] Miller

Rider Highlights

Sarka Pancochova: 1st place – Flawless combination of technical freestyle and freeride skills, securing a spot on the Natural Selection Tour.

Estelle Pensiero: 2nd place – This is her Second consecutive year in the top 3, showcasing her style and technique with tweaked grabs and a natty backside 3 during the filming segment.

Mia Jones: 3rd place – Explored new course zones on comp day with impressive speed and control.

Mia Jones [o] Chomlack

Special Awards

Enni Rukajärvi: Airchair Award – Overshot the last jump on competition day by 20 feet and delivered strong riding throughout the event like her switch back 3 footy

Ellie Weiler: Style Award – Flawless execution and commitment, standout moves includeded a backflip tuck-knee combo’d with a switch todeo.

Billy Pelchat: “Very Proper” Award – Consistently on-point style, executing every trick and line to perfection in her footage of pow line to cab 5

Marissa Krawczak: Mountain Goat Award – Charged big mountain lines with precision and execution, rode into spines super blind, put down a solid freeriding video part on a vert wall with high consequence

Egan Wint: House Award – Nearing stomping double backflip on both filming days, despite challenging snow conditions.

Eva Van Vugt: Seal Team 69 Sender Award – $1,000 cash prize for relentless big mountain performance and full commitment to send throughout the contest.

Winners Podium [o] Campbell

Mia Jones, Ellery Manning, Estelle Pensiero, Amelia Pelchat [o] Campbell

Sarka Pancochova [o] Miller

Eva Van Vugt [o] Chomlack

Billy Pelchat [o] Miller

Katie Kennedy [o] Miller

Billy Pelchat [o] Miller

Katie Kennedy [o] Floros

Egan Wint [o] Wiseman

Robin Van Gyn [o] Chomlack

Celia Petrig [o] Wiseman

Zoe Vernon [o] Campbell