The Ski Journal - Volume 13, Issue 2
UPPER INNER CIRCLE
Words: Kade Krichko 2019-10-19 13:31:10
From the mountains of Andorra, a European country the size of Montreal, Raimon Suarez has turned ski super-fandom into a lifestyle. Just ask Tanner Hall and Henrik Harlaut, a couple of the many pro skiers who have signed the posters on Suarez’s apartment walls, and are also two of Suarez’s closest confidants.
“I feel comfortable in this world,” says Suarez, who worked as CFO of a highway company. “The freeskiers adopted me as one of them.”
The easy-laughing Andorran has celebrated birthdays in the Hall family’s Kalispell home, gotten tattoos with the Inspired crew in Mammoth, and even helped Harlaut get his residency in Andorra. He doesn’t just meet his heroes, he makes them part of his life.
“He does whatever he can to help the sport get better,” Harlaut says. “From the beginning, we considered ourselves family.”
The 57-year-old got his first taste of freestyle skiing passing through Lake Tahoe on a road trip through California in 1982. The mogul scene was taking over.
“People were skiing outside the lines,” Suarez remembers.
Right away, he became a huge Greg Stump fan. Glen Plake was an idol.
But when his freestyle circle fizzled, Suarez found an unlikely second coming as he approached his 40th birthday. Thumbing through a ski magazine, he came across an ad featuring skiers sliding metal handrails. The name “Armada” blazed across the page.
“I was like, ‘What is this?! Armada is a Spanish name,’” he says.
Instantaneously, he was sucked into the vortex. He loved the rebellious style of skiing, and was struck by Armada’s then-frontman, Hall. Unable to find the brand in Andorra or Spain, Suarez reached out to the top freeskier on Facebook. Surprisingly, he got a response.
“He couldn’t believe I was from the other side of the world,” Suarez says, laughing.
The two stayed in touch. In 2003, the same year Hall dropped his legendary segment in Session 1242, they met in Barcelona. When Hall came back with Harlaut and Phil Casabon for the 2012 premiere of Education of Style, Suarez was there to greet them. He connected with Harlaut, and when the then-up-and-coming Swede started looking for a place to live and train, Suarez suggested Andorra—a country with more miles of ski trails than highway. Harlaut moved to Andorra in 2014, and Suarez helped get his residency application approved and gave him a place to stay.
“His kids [Max and Ada] were 8 and 9 at the time, and I was almost an older brother,” Harlaut says. “I got super close with the whole family.”
Now just down the road, Harlaut will still ski park laps with Suarez’s son, and more often than not, Suarez is over at Harlaut’s helping him install a T.V. or talking about ski tricks.
The gregarious Andorran is nearly 30 years Harlaut’s senior, but a mutal love of freeskiing has forged an unlikely friendship.
“Him being a little older helps us young guys out so much,” Harlaut explains. “To see someone that age out there and enjoying it so much inspires me. I want to be like that.”
In turn, Harlaut and freeskiing have treated Suarez as one of their own. When Suarez was diagnosed with stomach cancer four years ago, he says his ski family got him through dark days. Hall would text him between chemo treatments. A picture of a bald Suarez with Harlaut and Casabon still sits in his living room.
“When I was sick, they treated me like a normal person,” he says. “Skiing helped keep my mind clean. It gave me a reason to fight.”
Suarez credits his heroes with saving his life, not only from sickness, but also from the status quo.
“People my age don’t speak the language I do,” he admits. “Freeskiers are always finding the positive in life.”
The sport has reenergized Suarez, and now his main focus is helping to grow it in his own backyard. His connections are already paying massive dividends. In 2015, he helped Joss Christensen bring the popular SLVSH Cup series to Andorra, and is currently working on a mountain film festival. It’s exhausting work that often keeps Suarez awake late into the night, but he wouldn’t have it any other way.
“I have no money,” Suarez laughs. “But every day I feel like a millionaire.”
Photo Caption: “Raimon is not just an ambassador for Andorra, but he is also an ambassador for life and skiing. He’s my true hero.” Photo: Alric Ljunghager
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UPPER INNER CIRCLE
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