Xavier De Le Rue
SNOWBOARDER - FREERIDE
First and foremost Xavier De Le Rue is a mountain lover and this is at the core of all he does. In his heart he is a freerider - and spends his time in the powder whenever conditions allow. His love and skills for both powder and big mountain riding have achieved wide recognition, and Xavier continues receiving major awards from the snowboarding scene year after year.
Biography
Without doubt, Xavier de Le Rue is one of the best big-mountain freeriders in the world. For more than two decades he’s been actively seeking lines and locations that push the limits of what we thought possible in snowboarding. It has earned him respect and admiration from his peers and a whole host of awards and accolades, including three Freeride World Tour wins.
But he actually started out as a boardercross rider on the competition circuit. He won four World Boardercross titles before making the full-time switch to freeriding. But his pace and need for speed have never waned. In fact, he has used them to his advantage combining them with his technical riding ability to negotiate steep and narrow couloirs and gnarly looking slopes of blue ice. It should come as no surprise, then, that Xavier has twice won the ‘best line’ award on the Freeride World Tour. He’s also appeared in numerous films, from The Storming in 2010 to The Sky Piercer in 2018.
But his focus has now shifted. Through his XV Series he is sharing his knowledge and experience to allow others to safely enjoy their own adventures in the big mountains. And with the Sustainability Dialogues podcast, he wants to bring discussions about climate change to the fore.
At his core, Xavier is a true mountain man and his love for the mountains extends beyond snowboarding. He’s a skilled mountain biker, paraglider and climber. Though he also likes to surf when he’s back home on the French coast.
Top 6 career highlights
XV How to series, Roamer series comingup, OAL film release on dec 11th
World Champion Freeride World Tour (2010, 2009 and 2008)
Best Line (Ski and Snowboard) of the Freeride World Tour (2009 and 2008)
Swatch OÆNeill Big Mountain Pro (Overall Winner in 2009, 2nd in 2008, Winner in 2007)
Freeride World Tour Verbier Extreme, Switzerland (Winner in 2009 and 2007)
Winner of the Freeride World Tour in Tignes, France (2009 and 2008)
Quick Facts
HOMETOWN
St. Lary, France
HOMEBASE
Verbier, Switzerland & Saint Lary, France
BIGGEST DREAM
Being able to stright line some big lines when i am 70 haha
HOW DO I FOCUS
By waiting to be strapped before I panic, because I know that always when I see a run from the riding perspective, that's when it finally looks possible ( usually)
BEST ADVICE
Life is about experiencing things à find your own way, keep searching, never give up and you'll find happiness
WHAT INSPIRES YOU?
Nature, and make what looks impossible possible.
WORDS TO LIVE BY
Better try and crash than think you could do it and not give it a shot
FAVOURITE OTHER FITNESS EXCERCISE
Surf foil above all. my new addiction
I DON'T LEAVE HOME WITHOUT MY...
Ma bite et mon couteau... haha its a french expression sorry
https://www.instagram.com/xavierdelerue/
Awards
2010, 2012
Stand out performance of the year at TransWorld Snowboarding rider's pool
2010
Snowboarder mag Big Mountain Rider of the Year
2011
Voted Best Big Mountain Rider at the Tahoe Festival and the Saint Lary Freeride Festival
2009
Snowboarder Magazine Big Mountain of The Year
2010
Awarded for Standout part of the year at Transworld Rider Poll Award
2010
Cold Smoke Award: nominated for Best Line
2010
St Lary Freeride Film Festival: Lives of the Artist awarded Best Shooting and Jury Special Prize
2016
Adventurer of the year form l'equipe, 2016, best cimnematography, best story telling OAL