SISTER SUMMIT 2.0 RECAP

The second edition of Sister Summit is a wrap! The event, which took place at Eagle Pass Heli in Revelstoke, B.C. on November 24th - December 1st, brought together 21 of the world’s best skiers and snowboarders, 10 media, six guides, 15 speakers, and six wonderful volunteers to raise the feminine frequency and change the standards of the sport.

WHAT & WHY
Sister Summit is a space for women to connect and learn, building a legacy for the next generation. It is the first-ever 100% female backcountry ski and snowboard event, contest and media production. Through riding, workshops and wellness the aim is to grow the participants minds, bodies and souls to strengthen community and become the best version of themselves, together. Why is Sister Summit doing it? Because sports are male-dominated, with a lack of community, equality and diversity. There is a need for a female space to share experience, skills, and to push each other to the next level.

Photo by Mirae Campbell


STATISTICS
After a survey leading up to Sister Summit 2.0 created by Dr. Ann Pegoraro, and research gathered, the event wanted to share some statistics…

• 85% of decisions in winter action sports are made by men.
• 85% of the Sister Summit 2.0 athletes are often the only women in a meeting.
• 62% of the Sister Summit 2.0 athletes downplay their accomplishments when speaking to others.
• 25% of the 900,000 people skiing and snowboarding in the backcountry are women.
• 6% of alpine guides in the U.S. are women.
• 6% of action posts shared on Instagram by brands are of women.
• 90% of sponsorship money is allocated to male athletes.
• 9% of media budgets in sports on average are spent on women.

Yet 78% women in high-level sports help each other succeed, and the younger generations are prioritizing purpose and demanding brands reflect their values on key societal issues, such as diversity, equity and inclusion. At the same time, brands are looking at sponsorship more holistically, increasingly seeking purpose-driven impact, and for every dollar spent by a corporate sponsor in women’s sports, more than seven dollars is generated in “customer value for that organization.” Sister Summit believes there is a huge potential for women in sports, and wants to provide a global community with key tools for women who want to tap into their fullest potential.

Photo by Mirae Campbell


THE SPEAKER SERIES
The Speaker Series is the backbone of the event, and was definitely a highlight of the week. It brought together female experts speaking about sustainability, diversity, gender equality, motherhood, women empowerment and avalanche and snow safety. The goal was to share the leading knowledge and lived experiences to empower all of the participants to take action in their personal lives and globally through their platforms. These topics are at the core of what Sister Summit stands for, and in order to enact a call to action, the event is excited to announce the Sister Summit’s Global Report that will be released and shared with the industry next winter. Stay tuned and hold on tight because these findings are sure to wake everyone up.

Photo by Mirae Campbell


THE GLOBAL REPORT
This year, Sister Summit will produce a Global Report. The report will be signed, sealed and derived from the Sister Summit community, based on its four pillars, and will advise the industry standards to push the feminine frequency in the outdoors. Sister Summit wants your engagement and help to collect data, so please feel free to email Sister Summit at info@sistersummit.co. Everything will be shared on Sister Summit’s platforms, so stay in touch and don't miss the action or the opportunity to come, learn and share with us about diversity, equality, sustainability and safety.

Photo by Robin O'Neill

THE SISTER SUMMIT FILM
Throughout the week the athletes were followed by an all-star, all-female media crew, with the goal to create the second Sister Summit film. This documentary will trace the industry's main social challenges highlighted by the participants of the two Sister Summit events. From the events in Revelstoke, B.C and Engelberg, Switzerland the film will share a story that follows Sister Summit’s principles and the authentic experiences lived at the event.

Photo by Lindsay Donovan

A TRUE SISTER AWARD
A peer-judged awards given to the “True Sister” in both skiing and snowboarding. The True Sister is the woman who shows up for others without abandoning herself. She shows others what it means to be a multidimensional woman, she brings up the frequency of everyone around her, she pushes herself and others to try hard and perform with grit and grace and has a great time doing it. This year the award went to Mckenna Peterson and Amanda Hankison.

Photo by Lindsay Donovan

SOME WORDS FROM THE FOUNDERS
“My overall take away from the event was when women come together with the collective energy to change themselves and the world around them they can do great things. They can talk about the hard things and come up with plans and strategies to make it better moving forward, they can push themselves to improve their mental, physical and emotional skills and well being and by doing so they can make massive improvements for women globally. The more we know the heavier the responsibility. We are all wearing heavy backpacks but when we share the weight of those packs together and help advocate for each other we can change the world. Also let's not forget skiing and snowboarding is soooo fun and we are damn good at it. We must celebrate when we come together to push each other, expanding our knowledge in the backcountry. It is the obvious equation to take the sport to new heights.” —Lexi duPont

"I try to cultivate unity between all women in the winter sports industry, because it's only through this unity that women will be able to fight together for equality: of treatment, of pay, of representation, of respect. It's a big challenge, requiring constant listening and learning, stepping back and appreciating the situation from the point of view of society as a whole. This first Sister Summit event had its challenges: unusual layers of fog and a low snowpack, but we were rewarded with blue skies above the clouds and cold powder in all the right places, resulting in some stunning images. We tackled some tough subjects and asked some big questions of the community and the industry. It wasn't perfect, but it was progress. The mountain brought us together. The love of the mountain is the foundation of our unity. My team and I will continue to work very hard to make Sister Summit the home that rises above it, to welcome all women connected to the love of the outdoors. " —Fanny Avril

“When we got the idea last year about Sister Summit, I loved the fact that I can be part of creating a space that I didn’t have growing up. A space for women to connect, share and learn. Seeing how it has evolved and the impact it has had on so many girls around the world has been one of the most beautiful experiences I’ve had. I love seeing connections being made, and the girls helping each other out, and daring to ask for help. In the day we push ourself and tap into our full potential, and in the evening we dive into important and heavy topics to learn to take care of our self, each other and the world. It’s not easy, but when has change ever been easy? I’m honoured to be part of SiS, and I can’t wait to see how we can continue take small steps towards equality in the snow industry” —Hedvig Wessel

Photo by Lindsay Donovan

SISTER SUMMIT NEEDS SUPPORT - GOFUNDME
Sister Summit needs your help to continue the legacy of the event. the founders are raising funds for their Sister Summit events, a gathering of women from all walks of life to celebrate unity amongst women, pushing the level of backcountry skiing and snowboarding, sharing knowledge to create a more equal world, and supporting each other's multidimensional growth. Through backcountry explorations, workshops, networking and inspiring talks, Sister Summit has set up a platform where women can connect, learn and empower each other.

Hosting an event of this scale requires significant resources. After months of fundraising, Sister Summit sadly did not meet its goal. That's why it’s calling on you to help keep this super wonderful project alive. With your donations, Sister Summit can cover the costs of venues, media team, travel, logistics and education, and reach its final goal: to make this event accessible to as many women as possible and create a more equitable world.

Sister Summit knows times are not always easy, which is why every little bit of help counts! Consider this, if every person following Sister Summit contributes just $10, it will reach its goal. Every small donation will have a big impact, and we are stronger together. Thank you for being part of the Sister Summit community—click here to donate.

SISTER SUMMIT 2.0 PARTICIPANTS

Skiers
Amie Engerbretson
McKenna Peterson
Lexi DuPont

Olivia McNeill
Sophia Schwarts

Hedvig Wessel

Vanessa Chavarriaga Posada
Addy Jacobson

Lovisa Rosengren (Rookie)

Snowboarders
Hana Beaman
Claire Hewitt Demeyer
Amanda Hankison
Sandy Ward
Isabella Gomez
Juliette Pelchat
Amalia "Billy" Pelchat
Anita Naidu
Kimmy Fasani
Michelle Locke
Emilé Zynobia
Natalie Sager (Rookie)

Media Team
Fanny Avril (Director)
Clothilde Loustalot-Barbé (Production Assistant)

Filmers
Aurelie Morrison-Gonin (Lead)
Sophie Odelberg
Sofia Wester Sjöberg
Chloe Keeley

Photographers
Robin O’Neill (Lead)
Mirae Campbell

Lindsey Donovan

Chloe Jimenez (Rookie)

Speaker Series & Special Guests
Catie Friend (Host)
Ann Pegoraro (Gender Equality)
Blake Hansson (Gender Equality)
Devon Bunce (Live Scribe)
Genna Holgate (Sport Psychologist)
Cathie Caccia (Yoga instructor)
Beth Haines (Startup SapSucker & Female Empowerment)
Jess Mahary (Startup Jewelry & Female Empowerment)
Ellie Ryan (Strava)
Anita Naidu (Anti-Racism)
The Mum Panel (Kimmy Fasani, Genna Holgate, Hana Beaman, Zoya Lynch)
The Sustainability Panel (Aimie Engebretson, Emilié Zynobia, Amanda Hankison)

Guides
Heather Smith (Lead)
Chealsea Sullivan
Christine Feleki
Lilia Molnar
Kendra Hicks
Emilie Stenberg
Shanon Werner 

Staff & Volunteers
Maude Calvé-Thibault
Maya Hutchful

Justine Timms

Ashley Gahagan
Makayela Hogan
Sarah Erikson

SISTER SUMMIT 2.0 PARTNERS

The Industry Collective
Yeti, Kari Traa, Roxy, LivOn Labs, Dragon, Protect Our Winters, Strava, Backcountry, Peak Performance, Volcom, Yes Snowboards, Now Bindings, Arc'teryx, Scott, Fischer, Stio, Gordini, Head, Union Binding Co, Coal Headwear, Anon, WNDR Alpine, Backcountry Access

Gifting Partners
Epic Blend, LivOn Labs, Gordini, Bee Bagz, Biotherm, Powder Baby Dry Shampoo, Farm To Summit, Cyclical Roots, Humble Brands, Wild Rye, Eivy Kari Traa, Yeti, Stay Wyld Organics, DB, Jes MaHarry Jewelry, Sensi Graves Swim, Strava, Mountain Flow Eco Wax, Alpenglow Medispa, Osea Malibu, Mons Royale, GoPro 

A huge thanks to Eagle Pass Heli Lodge for an amazing week of hospitality.

For more information on Sister Summit, visit sistersummit.co.