The Swedish freerider, ambassador of Alpina Watches, takes on the Verbier YETI Xtreme for the first time
The extreme weather conditions last weekend forced the FWT organization to postpone the grand final
We chatted with the freerider Max Palmambassador of Alpina Watchesa few hours before facing the grand final of the Freeride World Tour 2023 in Verbier.
The 20-year-old Swede makes his debut tomorrow at the Bec des Rosses, the last test of the season. A very demanding challenge that was canceled on Saturday due to the strong gusts of wind of the last days. However, the recent snowfall guarantees optimal conditions to safeguard the safety of the riders tomorrow during the competition.
Due to the harsh weather conditions it finally had to be postponed, how do you feel about tackling the YETI Xtreme Verbier?
The truth is that it was a relief, until the last moment we did not know 100% if it would be canceled and I was scared since the conditions were not very good. Now I feel much better to face this challenge tomorrow with better conditions.
You are the youngest skier to win the Scandinavian High Mountains Championship, two years in a row Freeride Junior Tour champion, the first time you competed in the FWT in Baqueira Berete you won and others broke the record for being the first to do a double backflip.
Tomorrow will be your first time at the Bec des Rosses… your record of first times is really impressive. Do you feel a lot of pressure to maintain this trend?
Last year I did feel that pressure but I have learned this year that people like the way I ski when I am happy and that is how I ski well so I try to focus on my skiing and if I do it well I know they will be happy, And if I do it wrong, I think they’ll understand. So I don’t feel so much pressure anymore, but I do put pressure on myself because I haven’t been skiing as I would like in recent competitions and I want this one to go very well.
So far, how have you lived this season?
This year has been very different for me because last year after getting the wildcard I got injured and had to leave the season. I started very well in the first test, with a first place in Baqueira and then I had some problems and some bad luck, something I think is normal and necessary since I am learning from mistakes that I am not going to make again. I am still very young and I feel very lucky to be here.
Do you have fun competing?
A lot, I’m always singing and listening to music while competing. Music makes me happy and while I’m competing I’m smiling. I feel that when I am happy I ski much better.
Competing at a high level carries a very high risk since your physical integrity may be compromised. Are you afraid of competing?
The truth is that I am not too afraid, the weekend, before the test, was the first time that I was really scared, I even vomited from fear and I had never felt this level of fear before. Obviously there is pressure and you get butterflies in your stomach, but it’s not pure fear and this is the first time I was really afraid.
For those who do not know this sport in depth, it may seem that they are just tricks, adrenaline and a lot of risk. What is behind all this?
What is very hard about our sport, that not many people know, is that we only do a visual inspection, but we are not allowed access to the competition area before competing. So we don’t really know what the snow is going to be like, how big the falls are, etc. So we have to think about the descent we are going to do, rehearse it in our minds, memorize it and then ski it. Doing tricks and jumps in places you don’t know is really hard, because you don’t have the certainty of how fast you are going to turn or other factors and for this you need a lot of experience. In fact, I still lack a lot of experience in this regard, but I am learning.
You come from a lineage of professional skiers and have grown up surrounded by mountains. Do you think it’s in your blood somehow?
Yes, my father is a mountain guide and my mother is a ski instructor. So I started with alpine skiing to acquire all the technique and on the other hand, my uncle was one of the pioneers of Swedish freeskiing and I have always admired him a lot. In fact, when I turned 14 I started junior racing and I felt it was time for me to get into freeriding and my parents have always supported me.
When did you start skiing?
The first time I put on skis was when I was two years old. I started skiing indoors and then in the snow. In fact, I started skiing more indoors than outside. My parents would leave the skis inside the house and I would put them on and ski down the stairs. I have some very funny videos about this. My family is where all my passion for this sport comes from.
What is your most passionate about skiing?
It is where I feel that I am my best version. If I’m sad, I put on my skis and go to the snow and immediately feel better. I don’t think about anything when I’m skiing, for me it’s the best way to escape. Skiing is everything to me.
Sometimes, as happened to you in Canada with the avalanche, you have to change lines and improvise. Do you consider yourself more of a planner or do you follow your gut?
I’m more of instinct. It’s usually 60% planning and 40% instinct for me since tricks don’t always go how you think. In those moments, you have to breathe, not block yourself and also you have to have a plan B and even C to know how to go down.
Are you going to hold the line you had in mind?
Yes, I think I’m going to keep the line I had planned for Saturday, although tight because it’s snowed a lot, but I’m going to stick to the line I already have planned.
What do you think is the biggest challenge ahead of you now after tomorrow’s final at the Bec des Rosses?
The biggest challenge right now for me is not letting myself be influenced by others and above all staying true to myself, being who I really want to be and skiing my way.