Dennis
Risvoll is 22 years old and from Vågå in Oppland. Dennis grew up with northern
Europe’s highest mountains in his back yard.
Dennis has
been skiing since he was a little kid. He started on Telemark together with his
father. His cousin Øystein Bakke was his idol and he would ski as much as he
could with him and his friends. He developed his skills rapidly by trying to
ski where the older guys skied. Dennis started freeriding on alpine skies in
2005 and the year after in Rølldal Freeride Challenge he was voted best rookie
of 2006.
I love the
adrenalin kick of skiing hard lines. My main focus is to continue developing my
skills, which constantly gives me something to look forward to. The only way I
can get the progression I need is by getting a maximum amount of ski days.
I push
myself harder in competitions than I do normally. I psych myself up before my
runs, because it is important for me not to feel fear. I need to get my nerves
wired to be focused and ready to perform. My psyche is what gives my edge. As
long as I am psyched up I can deliver good runs.
When I
compete I like to entertain, to put on a show. So it is more important for me
that my ride looks cool than the ranking I get.
Freeride is
a competitions style that I hope does not become an official sport. Freeriders
like having a laid back attitude to competing. All freeriders know that it
costs to be able to do this sport, but they love the freedom it gives.
My most
epic moment was when I won Sauda Backcountry Challenge in 2007. I entered the
competition with no high hopes. Sauda is a competition with a lot of jumps. In
the qualifying heat I chose a line I liked and landed three back flips. I ended
up with the best score. In the final I was the last to start and was really
psyched. I can’t remember anything from my final run. I landed two back flips
and even landed a back flip with a flat landing that two guys before me had
missed. When I rode over the finish line I remember thinking that my run was
average, but nothing special. I remember being surprised when I saw all the
spectators and the other riders jumping up and down with their hands in the
air. It was only then that I understood that my run was good. It was in this
race I got the nickname “The back flip King”.
