CORE SHOTS | Tom Ritsch

The honor of first drop goes to none other than Tom Ritsch! We met up with Tom last month for a sunny midwinter shred day around his home resort of Kitzsteinhorn. After coffee and oatmeal and a quick visit to the ski garage, we headed up the mountain to check out some of Tom’s favorite freeride runs before finishing up with some hot laps through Snowpark Kitzsteinhorn.

As the name implies, the CORE SHOTS series intends to reveal the core of freeski culture, as we follow our favorite skiers around the mountain and beyond for a glimpse into their daily lives. It’s “shots” from the “core”… get it? (Just in case you’re unfamiliar with the terminology, a “core shot” is when you get a gouge in your ski base that goes all the way through the base and reveals the core.)

CORE SHOTS is a new series from Downdays documenting the daily life of our favorite freeskiers. The honor of kicking off the series goes to none other than Mr. Tom Ritsch!

Born and raised at the foot of the Kitzsteinhorn, Tom is an all-rounder in the very best way. Capable of crushing it in the park, the streets and the backcountry alike, Tom’s mellow vibe and pure passion for skiing makes him one of the most likeable skiers we know, not to mention one of the most versatile.

We linked up with Tom last month on his home turf in Niedernsill, Austria. After morning coffee and oatmeal and a tour of the ski garage, we headed up the mountain for a tour of Tom’s favorite off-piste runs before finishing the day with some hot laps through Snowpark Kitzsteinhorn.

Presented by Völkl Skis: https://www.voelkl.com/

Filmed & edited by Daniel Hanka

Motion Graphics by Sämi Ortlieb

Photos by Pally Learmond