RnD Brings Women Together to Ride, Learn, and Progress

The 2nd annual Research & Development (RnD) event, presented by Arc’teryx and YETI, has once again proven to be a game-changer for women’s backcountry freestyle riding. Blending competition with progression in a unique, film-focused format, RnD goes beyond being just a competition—it’s a space for women to ride, connect, and accelerate their progression in freestyle backcountry riding. What typically takes years to master—choosing lines, collaborating with photographers and filmers, and riding in high-pressure situations—RnD provides in a single, immersive week.

Founded by Robin Van Gyn, an influential figure in the future of women’s backcountry riding, RnD combines competition and film-based progression, footage and photography to showcase their talent.

“For the second year, we’ve proven that with the right opportunity and environment, riders rise to the occasion. With better conditions, progression levelled up, and new crews formed. It’s not just about progression, access, and shared knowledge—it’s about fostering community and building our own culture. I’m so proud of the riders and honoured to provide this platform to see them fly.” – Robin Van Gyn.

What went down

This year’s competition portion took place in Whitewater Ski Resort’s Trash Chutes, a natural playground of pillows, chutes, and hand-built jumps. Riders had time to explore, collaborate, and refine their backcountry skills before putting it all on the line on comp day, with two judged runs, followed by two days of filming in and around Whitewater’s sidecountry to capture their best footage.

On Comp Day, Šárka Pančochová secured the top spot, skillfully navigating the technical upper cliff section before seamlessly linking a frontside 360 into a backside 360 off the lower jumos. Her ability to blend strong freestyle riding with during the competition and then choosing to ride exposed rocky cliff drops in the filming sessions secured her victory, earning her $5,000 and an invitation to the final stop of the 2025 Natural Selection Snowboard Tour. Estelle Pensiero and Mia Jones rounded out the podium, taking home $3,000 and $2,000, respectively.

Reflecting on the event, Pančochová emphasized the importance of this platform for progression.

“Progression in the backcountry is all about having a strong group of girls pushing each other, and it’s amazing to see Robin making this happen—it’s a lot of hard work. There aren’t many opportunities like this, especially in freeride, and it’s the perfect venue for riders to develop their skills before stepping up to bigger contests like Natural Selection. The conditions were incredible, and I was so impressed by the 17 girls absolutely sending it in the pow!”

An Unmatched Progression Platform:

What sets RnD apart is the unparalleled access and mentorship it o experience riding alongside their peers, legends, collaborating with top photographers and videographers, and developing critical backcountry skills that accelerate their progression. This year, 18 women spent a full week learning from some of the most influential figures in snowboarding, with judging led by Kimmy Fasani, Jess Kimura, Hana Beaman, and Marie-France Roy—all pioneers in pushing women’s snowboarding forward.

This year’s competition featured a strong European and North American crew, including Enni Rukajärvi, Šárka Pančochová, 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.

With another successful event in the books, RnD continues to redefine women’s big mountain snowboarding. Stay tuned as Šárka Pančochová and last year’s RnD winner, Ellery Manning, face to the final stage of the Natural Selection Tour in Revelstoke, March 10-17, 2025.

Sarka Pancochova Takes the Win

• 1st Place: Šárka Pančochová – $5,000 + Natural Selection Tour Final Stop entry
• 2nd Place: Estelle Pensiero – $3,000
• 3rd Place: Mia Jones – $2,000

Special Awards

• Air Chair Award: Enni Rukajärvi
• Seal Team 69 Sender Award: Eva Van Vugt
• Mountain Goat Award: Marissa Krawczak
• Style Award: Ellie Weiler
• Very Proper Award: Billy Pelchat
• The House Award: Egan Wint

“Women’s backcountry snowboarding has lacked support, making events like RnD vital for giving these athletes the recognition they deserve. The outdated idea that women need to ‘do more and get better’ before receiving equal opportunities is shifting—because equal support leads to equal results. Thanks to Robin and all the partners for creating this space. Hopefully, we’ll see true equal representation soon.” – Marie-France Roy