Norwegian Sets Guinness World Record for Skiing Backwards

Backe set the world's first switch skiing record in 2012, at 79.9 mph, nine months after undergoing ACL reconstruction surgery. 

Like his recent attempt, the 2012 record occurred on Vikersund Hill, although Backe started below the jump instead of catching air and throwing a 180 as he did this year.

For Backe, the first world record attempt was a post-injury comeback. Ambühl surpassed this record in 2016, holding the title until Backe reclaimed it in 2024.

“This year it was more of pushing the limits on what is possible and maxing out the arena with adding the world’s biggest ski jumping hill to the in-run, and doing the 180 as an extra piece in there,” Backe wrote in email correspondence with POWDER. “Really stoked that it worked out and really cool to be able to do it in my hometown.”

Backe explained that dropping in from the top of the course means you hit 60 miles per hour in “no time.” The 180 added another degree of difficulty. “You have to land perfectly to be able to reset and find your position,” he wrote. “It felt like I was holding my breath the whole time.”

During some of his attempts, Backe was thrown off kilter after the 180, forcing him to focus on staying upright rather than breaking the speed record: “If you lose your balance or can’t hold on to your edge or your line in there, you're out!”

Training for a niche feat like the switch skiing world record isn’t easy, as few ski areas have steep, straight pistes that you can ride backward without getting in someone else's way. But as a professional freeskier, Backe already had ample switch skiing experience, including a backwards trip down Magasuget—a 29.5-foot tall water slide.

Therefore, he kept his pre-switch skiing record regimen simple. “[I] pretty much just ski as much as possible, tried to ski fast when I could and just keep the fun and stoke high!” he wrote.

Backe first began freeskiing professionally in 2006. He’s competed as an X-Games finalist, and appeared in films from Field Productions, Poor Boyz Productions, and Level 1. 

Prior to his professional freeskiing career, Backe was—surprise, surprise—a ski jumper until he turned 16 and found twin-tip skis.