Christian Hillier

Chris is the founder and chief designer of Sidecut's high-end range of tuning products. Chris is originally from the Chicopee Ski Club in Kitchener, Ontario and has called Whistler, BC his Canadian home for over 25 years. He has spent 25+ years on the road coaching predominantly in Europe with several different foreign National Ski Teams (Canada, Australia, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Great Britain and Ireland). He has a unique and broad range of experience from U10 to WC level athletes. Chris is a graduate of the University of Victoria's National Coaching Institute and one of few Level 4 High Performance coaches in Canada.

More recently Chris returned to elite coaching forming a collaboration with the Swiss Alpine Ski Team. The goal to qualify Irish athlete Jack Gower for the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games was reached and as a result, they made history with a very impressive twelfth place finish in the Men's Alpine Combined event. Ireland's best ever Alpine Winter Olympic result.

Additionally, he has educated and trained hundreds of coaches from all over the world. For over 15 years Chris was an International Facilitor for the Canadian Ski Coaches Federation (CSCF) / Alpine Canada (ACA) and set up Australia's Alpine Coaching education system. He was also contracted by the British Association of Snowsport Instructors (BASI) to assist in the improvement of their coaching education system.

Pierre Ruel

Leading the Alpine Skiing Coaching Education system in Canada and coaching ski racing full time at all levels has been part of Pierre’s life for more than 30 years. Aligned with his coaching passion, mobile app design and video editing production has been complimenting his skill set since his formative years. Lately, he has been coaching at Cirque du Soleil shows Volta, La Nouba, Helene Fischer Arena Tour, Hommage aux Colocs and presentely with the Cirque du Soleil at Sea on the Mediterranean.

Pierre met Chris Hillier of Sidecut over 20 years ago through the CSCF facilitators and started to use the product exclusively. Approximately 10 years ago they started to collaborate on educational videos about tuning. That was the starting point that lead Pierre into working with Sidecut. Pierre loves the Sidecut vison, philosophy and obviously the brand which brings our users a 360 degree approach; from quality tools, support and education on how to tune so snowsport enthusiasts can enjoy their sport with even more fun and passion.

​Social Media:
Instagram | @pierruel
Facebook | pierre ruel
Website | www.pruelpro.com

John Schwirtlich

John Schwirtlich is originally from the Chicopee Ski Club in Kitchener, Ontario. John started in the ski industry as a young keen skier, ski racer and worked as a ski instructor, ski coach and ski tech. Moving to Whistler in 1989 John worked for 10 years as a ski instructor and trainer for the Whistler Ski School obtaining his CSIA Level 4. While living in Whistler and fulfiling a lifelong dream he starting a photography business in 1998. In 2002 he started working with Mike Wiegele Helicopter Skiing as the full time photographer/videographer and tail guide. John has a lifetime of experience in many aspects of the ski industry including having a son who's a current Alpine FIS racer with the Sun Peaks Alpine Racers in British Columbia.

​Social Media:
Instagram | @johnnystillphoto

Daron Rahlves

Daron Rahlves is a former American World Cup alpine ski racer and freestyle skier. Born in Walnut Creek, California, and raised in northern California, Rahlves attended the Green Mountain Valley School in Vermont and currently resides in Truckee, California.

The most decorated male American Downhill and Super G skier in history. Daron won 12 World Cup races, had 28 World Cup podiums, 7 US National Titles, is the 2001 World Champion in Super G, Silver medal at the 2005 Worlds in DH and Bronze medal in GS. He was the winner of the legendary Hahnenkamm Downhill in 2003 and SG in 2004 along with 7 podium finishes in Kitzbuhel over 5 years. 2007-2010 Ski Cross was the competition of his choice. In 2008 Daron took the win in Skier X at Winter X Games 12 and finished 3rd overall on the Jeep Skiing/48 Straight Tour. Top World Cup Ski Cross finish was 2nd place in St Johan, Austria in 2010 and that year he made the US Olympic Team for his fourth time to debut this new ski discipline in Vancouver, Canada.

"I’m very impressed with the precision, design, material and ergonomics of the guides, sidewall and topsheet removers, plus quality files, stones and brushes. Every item they have is World Cup level at a reasonable price. I’ve tuned my skis all the way up to my World Cup career and spent time in the wax room with my factory ski techs. Now I tune my own skis almost daily and my kid's @atomicskis race skis every time they are on snow".

​Social Media:
Instagram | @daronrahlves
Facebook | Rahlves

Alex Tilley

Alex is Great Britains number one female alpine skier. She was 8 years old before putting on her first pair of skis and was racing with her local club before she was even out of snowplow. After competing successfully at a young age, Alex chose ski racing as her career from the age of 16 and has been climbing the world rankings ever since. Now competing regularly on the FIS World Cup tour in both Giant Slalom and Slalom, she is looking to progress towards the podium in the coming years and is proud to be using SIDECUT tuning tools to help her achieve this. When she's not in the mountains on a pair of skis, her hobbies are soccer, cycling, reading and learning something new. She competed at the 2015 World Championships in Beaver Creek, USA, in the giant slalom. It was there Alex scored her first points in the Alpine Skiing World Cup when she finished 19th in a giant slalom in Lienz in December 2015. At the 2017 World Championships in St. Moritz, Switzerland, she finished 30th in the giant slalom and 25th in the slalom. Alex competed in both SL and GS at the 2018 Winter Olympics.

​Social Media:
Instagram | @alextilleyski
Facebook | alex.tilley

Roy-Alexander Steudle

Roy Steudle is a German/British alpine skier competing in 3 events - GS, SG and DH. He began skiing at the age of 3 in Whistler, Canada when his parents moved to Europe at age 11. Shortly after their arrival he commenced his ski racing career in Chamonix France. At the age of 15 he moved to Italy to continue racing and then with his Mother to Maria Alm, Austria where he spent countless hours training and racing around the country. Now traveling the world, competing in World Cup, Europa Cup, South American Cup and North/Am competitions, Roy aims to soon be competitive on the World Cup circuit. He has had Nor/Am and South American Cup podiums, is a multiple British champion, competed at the World Junior Championships and has tackled the infamous Hahnenkamm in Kitzbühel, Austria.

His hobbies include mountain biking, reading, painting, photography, powder skiing and skateboarding.

​Social Media:
Instagram | @royalexander
Facebook | royalexander

Jennifer Hawkrigg

JJ Hawkrigg is a professional alpine snowboarder on Team Canada. JJ is 21 years old, and lives in Toronto. She began snowboarding at the age of 4, and competed in her first snowboard race at the age of 8. Over JJ's career, she has successfully earned her spot on the Ontario Team, The Junior National Team and now a member of the 2018-2019 World Cup Team. Competing at every Junior World Championships since she was 16. Since becoming FIS age, JJ has successfully reached the podium at multiple National championships, North American Cup races and now ranked second overall on the North American Tour. ​The 2018-2019 season will be JJ's third season on the Canadian Snowboard Team, where she has earned her personal World Cup spot on the tour.

As well as being a Canadian Snowboarder, JJ is a commerce student at Ryerson University and spends most her off time training in the gym. With the ultimate goal of competing at the Olympics, follow JJ on her journey competing on the World Cup Tour this upcoming season!

​Social Media:
Instagram | @jjhawkrigg
Facebook | jjhawkriggsnowboard
Website | www.jjhawkrigg.com

Jack Gower

I couldn't be happier to have a partnership with a company like Sidecut. A company that encompasses all of my personal values and drive to prove it's quality amongst the giants of the industry. First time I started using Sidecut products I was 14 years old when Chris Hillier took me on a journey I will be eternally grateful for both as my coach and part-time tech for my gear. The quality of the tools were so amazing it was easy for me to get a real feeling of how a ski works and the crucial partnership between tuning and success as an Alpine Skier.

From my formative years I have gone onto win a World Junior Championship, British Championships, South American Cups, US Championships and represented Ireland at the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympic Games in GS, SG, DH and AC events. I've been fortunate to have had a technician but my knowledge of tuning remained crucial or possibly even more relevant to provide the necessary information to make the correct steps to improve. As well as building a great company athlete relationship, Sidecut is always pushing to constantly innovate and drive the market which allows me to feel content and work on other parts of my sport.

​Social Media:
Instagram | @jack_gower_
Facebook | jack.gower.14

Arianne Forget

Being the daughter of two ski instructors and coaches, Arianne found herself on the slopes for the first time at the age of 16 months. At age 5, she joined her first race team and since then has been in love with this sport.

She is currently training in a team that features some of the best U16 athletes Quebec. During her ski racing seasons, she has gathered many victories and honors, including the coveted title of Provincial Champion on two occasions. Last winter, she had the honor of representing Canada at the Whistler Cup where she distinguished herself despite her young age.

Arianne is a grade 10 student in a Sport and Study program at École Polyvalente in Saint-Jérôme where she is able to reconcile the practice of alpine skiing and studies. In recent years, she has received both academic and athletic awards, and has been recipients of the Outstanding Female Athlete Undergraduate Award.

​Social Media:
Instagram | @ariskirace
Facebook | Arianne Forget - Athlète Ski Alpin

Claire Challen

Claire’s excitement for all things “mountain” exude a live-life-fully attitude. Claire strapped on her first pair of skis at the age of two, outside her rustic family ski cabin on Hudson Bay Mountain in Smithers, Northern British Columbia. She’s a former racer-turned-coach, now a ski pro, Rossignol athlete, TV host, journalist, and ski model. In the winters you'll find her exploring mountains and in the summers whipping people into shape. Claire is an ACA-CSCF Performance Level III Coach, NCCP Level III and a CSIA Level III Instructor.

​Social Media:
Instagram | @clairechallen
Facebook | claire.challen

Wade Christie

Wade lives in Kelowna, BC and has been involved in ski racing his entire life. Part of the Canadian Alpine Ski Team alumni he has coached in BC for over 30 years. In addition to coaching, Wade runs a cool tuning shop called White Wolf Racing that services the local racing community. He uses Sidecut tools in the shop daily and facilitates Sidecut tuning workshops for the racing clubs & locals in the southern interior.

When not on the mountain or in the shop you’ll find him on a lake chasing the beautiful Kamloops rainbow trout.

Roger Hardy

Roger lives in Ingonish, Cape Breton and makes his living as a commercial lobster, crab and halibut fisherman. In the off season, for the past 25 years, he has enjoyed volunteering and coaching alpine ski racing. He is an active member of Alpine Canada Alpin.

Roger delivers Sidecut tuning workshops all over Atlantic Canada.

Darin McBeath

Darin McBeath is a former World Cup ski racer and Olympian whose passion for skiing goes far beyond racing. His love for the mountains ranges from the magic carpet to multi-day ski tours. Darin's eclectic background and experience as an athlete, high performance coach and father of 3 gives him a unique perspective on sport. From countless hours in his parents garage learning to tune his own skis as an aspiring athlete, to working with World Cup technicians Darin has seen it all and wants to share his experiences.

"I want to teach people all aspects of the sport of skiing, including how to properly care for your gear. Well tuned gear allows you to maximize your investment and fully enjoy the experience. We've all come over a steep pitch and wished our skis were sharper as well as made that long run on the flats and wished our skis were faster. I want you to better understand how your skis work and how you can ultimately tune them to your liking, whether you are charging big lines or cruising the groomers. I truly believe Sidecut has the highest quality gear on the market and I'm excited to be a part of it."

​Social Media:
Facebook| darin.mcbeath.1