About
“Sometimes skiing is the hardest thing you do in life and sometimes skiing gets you through the hardest times in life.
Passionate and driven, that’s probably the best way to describe me, Isabelle Hanssen, born on April 3rd 1994 in the Netherlands. I started freestyle skiing in 2009, and from that moment on, it quickly became much more than just a hobby. Skiing took over a big part of my life and shaped who I am today.
I fell in love with the playful, creative and progressive side of the sport, and later the competitive scene. There’s no feeling quite like landing a new trick successfully for the first time, and that sense of progression and excitement is what kept pushing me forward.
Over the past decade, I've traveled the world, competing in high level halfpipe competitions. My passion for skiing consistently drove me to exceed my own limits and strive for my full potential. I’ve competed in every level of competition from being 11 times Dutch Champion to World Cups, Dew Tour and qualified for three consecutive Winter Olympics. Unfortunately, I was unable to participate in the Olympics due to national ski federation politics.
Coming out of the 21/22 winter season, I reached an important crossroads. After a lot of reflection, I decided to step away from competitive halfpipe skiing as an athlete. There were several factors behind that decision, but at its core it came down to something simple: I’ve always promised myself that skiing should stay fun. When that started to change, it felt like the right moment to shift direction.
After a decade of competitive skiing, my natural inclination towards progress and innovative solutions led me to explore various paths that aligned with my passion for the sport. This led me to the world of coaching with Freeski Global. My career as a self-supported athlete required me to navigate the complexities of the sport independently. This journey gave me understanding of athletes' needs and the factors influencing their progression and performance. With my unique knowledge of the sport, gained through experience, observation, analysis, and questioning, I am excited to support the next generation of halfpipe skiing and contribute to their medal-winning journeys.
Alongside coaching, I continue to explore different roles within the skiing industry, including content creation and judging. I’m driven by progress, curiosity, and finding meaningful ways to stay connected to the sport I love.
“Traveling is the only thing you buy that makes you richer”
When I tell people what I do for a living, I usually receive incredulous responses related to “living the dream.” While not a day goes by that I’m not appreciative of the opportunities I have, I also know the behind-the-scenes efforts that go into skiing more than 150 days a year, all over the globe. Accomplishing this lifestyle essentially goes against everything our society has taught us is “normal”. Staying focused is critical.
To truly live as a professional skier, every day has to count and not just once, instead more like three times. What does this mean? Well, simply put: each day must serve multiple purposes. A day in the mountains may start at 6 in the morning and go until four in the afternoon. And when most people head to the bar or the hot tub, I go to the gym. On top of that, I have to constantly be preparing for the following day, as well as months into the future. Detailed plans laid well in advance make for smooth sailing.
I believe this pulse will contribute longevity to my life professionally and personally, physically and mentally. I never really escape winter; it’s always on my mind. On any given day, even in June, it’s likely that I’m planning, preparing, training or recovering. But this is the balance that I hope allows me to stay sharp, motivated, and at the top of my game throughout the year.
Being an elite athlete encompasses far more than mere training and competition; it is a way of life. Every choice you make, from your attire and personal presentation to how you invest your time and who you spend it with, contributes to shaping your unique individuality and character.
Doing something I love every day doesn’t make my life easier, but I never found happiness by just choosing what would hurt the least. On the other side of my pain, was purpose.
Fitness
I made a personal commitment to go above and beyond to unlock my full potential, and that includes prioritizing training and nutrition. From the beginning, my journey in training was fueled by the desire to mitigate the risk of injury and enhance my skiing abilities. As time went on, my passion for training developed, becoming an essential part of my everyday life.
The thing about the gym is that, in a world that constantly frames women's health around our need to get smaller, it's the only place I've found where goals are all about increasing. As women, we are bombarded with the message that we are too big. We need to take up less space, to make the numbers on the scale go down, to measure our waists with fewer inches. We are told to shrink. To me, that is not health.
In the gym, however, the narrative shifts. Unless one's focus revolves around reducing weight, the numbers trend upward, not downward. Muscles grow stronger, the weights lifted become heavier, plank-holding endurance extends, and the number of exercises you can master get more numerous.
And most importantly, it all makes me feel good. It's even – dare I say it – fun. It's fun to move in new ways. It's fun to watch your progress. Because at the end of the day, bodies aren't for looking at, they're for living in. So, the real measure of how great they are is whether you can do everything you want in them. And the more stuff you can do, the more awesome that is.
“We all have challenges and opportunities on the road of life and it’s within our power to channel them in ways to support our dreams.”
Get In Touch
Contact Isabelle Hanssen
KvK # 72183837
