Today we’d like to introduce you to Julieana Rusnak
Hi Julieana, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I grew up in Golden, CO, skiing on the weekends with my family. For college I went to Berklee College of Music in Boston to study a career in Film Scoring. Upon graduating I came home for what was meant to be a year or two to save up money before trying to break into the music industry in LA, but I quickly realized that I belonged in the outdoors much more than I could ever belong in a big city. I became a ski instructor at Arapahoe Basin and from there I went on to teach skiing and coach Freeride skiing in New Zealand, Jackson Hole, and eventually Utah. I was introduced to Freeride skiing in New Zealand, and began my own competition career there. My fourth NZ winter I tore my ACL, which prompted me to leave my North American winter home of Jackson Hole and head to Salt Lake City. I was unable to ski for most of the winter of 19/20 and felt that Salt Lake City had more opportunities for non-skiing winter outdoor play and exploration than Jackson did. That winter I worked at Skimo Co, a local backcountry ski shop. Combined with Covid shutting down all the ski areas, that job gave me the community, opportunity, and incentive to really explore some of the incredible mountains and backcountry lines in the Wasatch, which has been monumental in my progression as an athlete. In 2022 I combined my love of the arts with my love of skiing and produced, directed, and starred in my first ski film; The Gnardashians. In 2023 I won my first Freeride World Qualifier event, and nearly earned a spot on the Freeride World Tour. This last winter I tore my meniscus and have undergone my 4th and 5th knee surgeries, so I will be taking it easy this coming year, while planning new projects and new ways to combine my love for skiing, my love for the arts, and my desire to teach and share my knowledge and joys with others!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think physical injuries have been the largest struggles for me in my career as a freeride athlete. In Jackson Hole I fractured 4 vertebrae in the backcountry, in New Zealand I tore my ACL and meniscus–the resulting operation and recovery did not go perfectly so I have had continuous issues with that knee. In the last 5 years I have had 5 surgeries on the same knee. Not only does this constant recovery cycle make it hard to progress skills from a strictly physical sense, but having chronic pain, multiple procedures, and a body that is hard to trust has certainly created mental blocks, financial stress, and added fear of re-injury to the normal hurdles to becoming a Freeride World Tour athlete. While I don’t know if my current goals as an athlete are attainable at this point, I know I am not alone in my struggles, and am confident that at the very least my story might resonate with others, and that I can continue to pass on my knowledge and skills to the next generation of skiers.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’ve been a ski instructor for about 8 years, and a freeride coach for 4 years. I do still actively compete in freeride competitions and I have produced one ski film. I plan to continue to combine my education and background in music and production with my passion for skiing and the outdoors through more film and media projects in the future. I also hope to continue to compete for at least a few more years. Coaching skiing has truly been one of the most rewarding jobs of my life thus far, and so I also hope to continue down that path for many years to come.
What sets me apart from others in my field is that I did not grow up embedded in the competitive ski industry like many of my fellow competitors now. I fell into the sport as an adult because of my love of skiing and of the mountains, and through my desire to learn and push myself in these more extreme environments and sports. My hope is that I can help inspire others to find their own paths to thriving in the mountains as well, regardless of what stage of life they might currently be in.
What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
Doing things that are scary or uncomfortable often lead to the most growth and sense of accomplishment in the end.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julieanarusnak
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l7PTJvUqft0
Image Credits
first photo by Grant Kates
second photo by Finn Peterson
third and fifth photo by Brady Evans
fourth and sixth photo by Calum Johnson
seventh photo by Edwin Baker
eighth photo by Margaret Heilshorn
last photo by Becky Fuys
