One might have thought that after over a decade of competing against the world’s best freestyle skiers, travelling the world and winning countless freestyle events, Kristi Richards would have slowed down in her retirement. But since retiring from competition in 2012, Richards appears to have picked up the pace.
The two-time Olympian and 2007 World Cup moguls winner has since opened an artisan shop in Pemberton, B.C, taught yoga and opened a yoga studio, started studying holistic nutrition, as well as her latest venture — freestyle ski coaching.
Richards was at Sun Peaks from March 16 to 17 to teach freestyle sessions to local skiers and ski school, along with other coaches from BC Freestyle Ski Association. Richards said she was stoked to be doing it.
“A big passion of mine has always been giving back to the community and getting more people into the sport and just doing things that they want to do.
“When Wade Garrod (Executive Director, BC Freestyle Ski Association) offered me the opportunity to come up to Sun Peaks, where freestyle is really just starting to grow, I just thought it was an amazing idea,” she said.
Richards coached at the freestyle sessions with her brother, Mike, who is one of Canada’s most qualified freestyle coaches being a CFSA Master Lead Facilitator and Level III NCCP Freestyle Coach.
Richards said that her retirement from competitive skiing helped her get to Sun Peaks and kick-start new passions.
“A change of pace is always challenging. It’s been amazing, it’s opening a lot more doors and different doors.”
As well as coaching, these doors include her holistic nutrition diploma which she hopes to connect with skiing and professional athletes.
“I hope to work with athletes and change the paradigm in which we, as athletes, fuel ourselves. I saw a lot of issues and problems arise in myself as an athlete trying to get the right nutrients while travelling, competing and expending so much energy.”
And Richards wants to supplement this with a holistic whole foods bistro that she plans to open “in the next year or two” in Pemberton.
Despite not having skied at Sun Peaks before the Freestyle sessions, she hopes to coach at more events in the future.
“Hopefully that we can get out to more hills next year. . . . I would love to be able to reach more communities, places like Sun Peaks.”
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