The Flyin’ Ryan Foundation
Thursday, April 5th, 2012
Wagner Custom Athlete, Silas Chickering-Ayers, with his Flyin' Ryan Hawks skis. Photo courtesy of Silas Chickering-Ayers.
Last spring, the Freeskiing Community was rocked by the death of Ryan Hawks, a dedicated and accomplished skier from Mad River Glen, VT who died from injuries sustained while competing in Kirkwood, California during a Freeskiing World Tour event. As a beloved son, friend, and member of the skiing community, Ryan’s legacy and zest for life was destined to carry on. The establishment of the The Flyin Ryan Foundation, which is inspired by Ryan’s 13 Core Principles that were discovered on his computer following his death, is one way Ryan’s spirit will live forever. The foundation offers scholarships to athletes who are “financially disadvantaged, passionate about their pursuit, and represent the principles for which Ryan was widely known and admired,” writes Ryan’s father, Peter Hawks.
Flyin’ Ryan continues to soar under the feet of Wagner Custom Athlete, Silas Chickering-Ayers. Silas and his brother, Lars, grew up skiing the tight trees and steeps of Mad River Glen alongside Ryan. Silas would join his brother and Ryan as they traveled North America in the Green Mountain Freeride Van while competing in Freeskiing World Tour events. This fall, Silas approached the Wagner Custom ski design team about a pair of skis that would not only perform optimally in big mountain venues, but also honor his late friend. The result was a 190cm ski with a 115mm waist, a burly sugar maple/white ash core, and a super durable impact resistant base. Silas designed the topsheet graphic, which features a photograph of Ryan silhouetted against a mountain backdrop; we were honored to build these skis for Silas.
Silas' Flyin Ryan Skis
A few weekends ago, Silas and his skis received a lot of attention as he won the Freeskiing World Tour event in Snowbird, UT after he threw down an impeccable final run full of smooth control, style, and amplitude. Check out this video, which highlights Silas’ final run and contains an interview with Silas and Peter Hawks about the legacy of Ryan:
Silas following his winning final run during the Freeskiing World Tour event in Snowbird. Photo courtesy of the Hawks' family.
This weekend, Silas will ski against a strong field of competitors at the final stop on the Freeskiing World Tour in Kirkwood, CA. Good luck Silas, we know Ryan will be skiing with you!
For more information about how you can become a Flyin’ Ryan Ambassador check out their website and their Facebook Page.
