I want to start by thanking all of the loving people in my life: friends, parents, family, and mentors, for supporting me and my snowboarding dreams thus far. I seriously could not have made it to where I am without you, and I am forever grateful to you.

I am beyond stoked to say that I have qualified for the 2026 Freeride World Tour Pro . The 2025 Freeride World Qualifier season was my first season competing in the freeride discipline of competitive snowboarding. Before that I competed in primarily slopestyle and halfpipe disciplines through the FIS under the Aspen Valley Snowboard Club and Sierra Nevada University Snowboard Team for 9 years.

I've been snowboarding since I was 5 years old, and it's been my dream since then to become a professional snowboarder. Now this 2026 winter season, my dream of 17 years is finally coming true. It all happened so fast, and I have no intention of slowing down.

I intend to perform at my highest ability on the FWT this season and requalify for years to come. The FWT was acquired by FIS (International Ski and Snowboard Federation) in 2022 and have aligned with the Olympic format of other ski/snowboard disciplines with hopes of bringing it into the 2030 Winter Olympics, and that is where I intend to be.

The Freeride World Tour itself is comprised of 6 events:

1. Baqueira Beret Pro, Spain: 16 - 21 January

2. Val Thorens Pro, France: 24 - 29 January

3. Georgia Pro, Georgia: 22 - 28 February

4. Fieberbrunn Pro, Austria 5 - 10 March

------CUT------ (need to finish in the top 50% to make finals)

5. Alaska Pro, USA: 15 - 22 March

6. Xtreme Verbier Pro, Switzerland: 28 March - 5 April

These 6 events are located in the most elite freeride mountain amphitheaters in the world, which also incite a very demanding travel schedule and budget.

I am currently a self-funded athlete, and while I'm so grateful to have a few rad snowboarding companies hooking me up with gear, I have no monetary sponsors or government funding. I've been trying hard to save everything I can to make my childhood dream come true. But I need your help. Your donations will contribute directly to my travel/flight costs, food, accommodation, media production, and training regimen.

My goals don't stop at professional contest freeriding. When it comes to just my snowboarding, I want to grow into film project pro snowboarding for as long as possible beyond the potential prospect of the 2030 Olympics. I want to build the greatest base I can in the snowboarding industry and leverage it for long-term change.

Over the past 4 years I earned a degree in Sustainability at the University of Nevada, Reno (previously Sierra Nevada University) in which I engaged primarily climate activism through decolonization and indigeneity. I always carry an attitude of gratitude, conservation, and progression into outdoor spaces and want to help grow the movement to transition the human race to socially equitable, sustainable systems to protect our beautiful planet and the people on it. I intend to work with activist and educational NGOs like Protect Our Winters and Informed Experiences throughout my athletic career and hope to channel all of my life's work into creating a just and healthy planet for all.

Thank you so much for considering a donation. If you don't have the means to donate, please consider sharing this fundraiser.

Kelly Hilleke

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