“If you get too professional with it, it becomes something else, and I feel like it’s approachable,” Robin Van Gyn said. “I want to be open to that dark horse moment.”

Robin was speaking to me on the last day of her Research & Development [RnD] gathering at Whitewater Ski Resort near Nelson, BC. RnD is Robin’s way of showing there are more women out there ripping than some may realize—to bring more female riders into the backcountry fold and prep them for both filming and high-level competitions like the Natural Selection Tour. It’s a space for women to learn from their peers and build confidence together. It’s loose by design, and it’s working.

Amaya Potts, stoked at the top of the bootpack on contest day. Photo: Colin Wiseman

Mia Jones scoping her contest line. Photo: Colin Wiseman

Local wildcard Eva Van Vugt going huge. Photo: Mirae Campbell

Celia Petrig, frontflip nosegrab. Photo: Colin Wiseman

Last year at the inaugural event, Ellery Manning came out of nowhere as a 17-year-old and won the whole thing. She’ll be riding in the Natural Selection Tour at Revelstoke Mountain Resort next week. This year, Robin initially planned to have 12 women in the contest, but she opened it up to 18 at the last minute.

“The women who maybe didn’t make the cut last year, they reached out and said, ‘We’ll do anything to be a part of the contest—can we just come hang?’” Robin said. “So, we included them again this year. They want the opportunity, and that’s the vibe: it’s about the energy.”

Zoe Vernon, spine sniper. Photo: Andrew Miller

Ellie Weiler, tucknee stylist while Mia Lambson Brady films. Photo: Mary Walsh

Ellery Manning, frontside 360. Photo: Chad Chomlack

Cali Loeb making Mt. Baker proud. Photo: Colin Wiseman

Isabella Gomez off the top. Photo: Colin Wiseman

With a format of one contest day and two media days, the comp day was weighted alongside a “best line” from the two media days to determine an overall winner. There’ wa$10,000 on the line along with a spot in the Natural Selection Tour and a handful of other prizes. Yet the mood was more collaborative than competitive. “It feels like a throwback,” said Shin Campos, RnD production boss said, and he hit the nail on the head.

This year, after two feet of snowfall, the contest ran at the start of the week-long event, before the film days. With lingering fog and very deep snow, a handful of styles were on display, from technical, exposed lines off the very steep ridgeline known as Trash Chutes to freestyling off a few dozen kickers in the bowl below. A cross-section of both up-and-coming and veteran riders threw down. I’ll let the imagery speak to how strong everyone was riding—and, from my perch atop the venue, I’ll speak directly to the camaraderie of all involved. The riders scoped together, discussing the intricacies of line choices, and hyped their fellow competitors as they dropped. A group of younger competitors played some version of paddy-cake while they waited their turn.

Gillian Andrewshenko on comp day. Photo Andrew Miller

Amaya Potts, tree sniper. Photo: Mirae Campbell

Billy Pelchat, pillow boss. Photo: Chad Chomlack

Seeding was determined by a beacon rally. Marissa Krawczak hustling to first place. Photo: Colin Wiseman

Emile Zynobia, no stranger to pillows. Photo: Andrew Miller

The edit from the two film days could hold its own as a standalone short film. Enni Rukajärvi took home the infamous Air Chair award for overshooting a landing on comp day, but she stomped with precision on the film days. Billy Pelchat appropriately won the Very Proper award for landing lines and tricks with a refined approach beyond her years. Egan Wint spent the two film days trying a huge double wildcat, with multiple attempts to her feet despite warming temps and questionable snow. That earned her the House award. It was a bong, appropriately.

Ellie Weiler pulled out a deep bag of tricks, earning the Style award. Marissa Krawzcak put her technical line riding on display, coupled with the willingness to hike again and again, logging more vertical than anyone else, and got the Mountain Goat award. Per Robin’s dark horse moment, local nursing student Eva Van Vugt went huge repeatedly and won $1,000 as the Seal Team Sender. Mia Jones showed off her board control over exposure, landing third place overall. Nelson’s own Estelle Pensiero mixed comfort in her hometown steeps with a handful of tricks to earn second for the second year in a row. Sarka Pančochová set it down on contest day and film days, showing that the former slopestyle Olympian and X Games medalist has fully become a backcountry threat, and won the whole thing.

Sarka Pancochova can do it all. Photo: Andrew Miller

Enni Rukajärvi, clean crippler into questionable snow. Photo: Colin Wiseman

Egan Wint, full send double wildcat into the last of the hot pow to end the week. Photo: Colin Wiseman

Estelle Pensiero putting her local knowledge into a repeat second place finish. Photo: Chad Chomlack

Mia Jones, poked. Photo: Chad Chomlack

Winners aside, RnD is ultimately about learning from one another. About, as Robin said, building on that energy, together. Showing the snowboard world what is possible when you get a bunch of like-minded women together and set them loose in the backcountry.

“There are so many different facets to what RnD is, whether you’re a rookie or in the middle or a veteran, there’s always something to learn,” Robin said. “People are taking the experience and getting something from it in one way, shape or form, whether we planned it or not.”

Marissa Krawczak, bonus line off the top at the end of the contest day. Photo: Colin Wiseman

Katie Kennedy, textbook method. Photo: Andrew Miller

Inspired by Evan Van Vugt, Robin Van Gyn takes her turn off the top ropes. Photo: Colin Wiseman

Full squad, full stoke. Photo: Andrew Miller

Shouts to Arc’Teryx, Yeti, Jones Snowboards, Burton, The Adventure Hotel, Tribute Boardshop, Natural Selection Tour, Whitewater Ski Resort and Nelson Kootenay Lake Tourism for supporting Research & Development. You’re all backing something beautiful.