Kästle announces the extension of Canadian freeskiing champion Hugo Harrisson’s professional team contract.

Harrisson was the first North American named to the inaugural Kästle Pro Team in 2007. A dedicated big-mountain skier, Harrisson’s input was integral to the design of the MX108, introduced this past season.
 
We are thrilled to extend our partnership with Hugo,” says Kästle Ltd. president, . “Hugo has been an invaluable resource in the development of our Freeride line of skis. He combines outstanding skiing skills, and communicates effectively with R&D what he needs out of his equipment.  We are currently working and testing on a dedicated big-mountain powder ski, which will be a HH pro model launched next winter.”
 
Harrisson’s presence has been a constant in the big mountain scene since his Freeskiing World Tour title in 2000. He won the tour again in 2001 and 2002 and continued to reign in the competition circuit. The three-time world champion’s focus in the more recent years has shifted from competition to filming.  He has appeared in ski films from Warren Miller and Matchstick Productions and will also have a major role in this season’s Matchstick Productions In Deep.
 
Harrisson originally hails from the shrimp-fishing town of Matane on Quebec's Gaspé Peninsula. After a few years of living in Tofino in the summer for surfing and working, he will now move back to the Pemberton-Whistler area, concentrating on his skiing career full-on and year-round.

“I am extremely happy to keep my position as part of Kästle’s pro team,” states Harrisson. “Kästle uses its race technology and heritage as a foundation for building current big-mountain skis. The MX108s are my everyday ski. I love the stability when landing big drops, but also for their versatility. I’m very excited about helping out in the development of Kästle’s line of big mountain skis.
 
Harrisson is part of a dynamic, international group of skiers on the 2009 Kästle Pro Team. The team now includes Martin “McFly” Winkler (AUT), Sascha Schmid (SWI), Chris Davenport (USA), Griffin Post (USA), Giulia Monego (ITA), Baptiste Blanc (FRA), Lorraine Huber (AUT) and Karine Falck-Pedersen (NOR.)
 
“Hugo really rounds out our team,” notes Rumpfhuber. “We’ve really targeted group of accomplished athletes that are pushing the boundaries of skiing both on the competition scene and in the expeditions they chose. Our athletes share an unmatched enthusiasm for the sport that inspires all of us at Kästle.”