Sylvain Saudan, 'godfather of extreme skiing,' lends his name (again) to Blackcomb Mountain

In French he is the "skieur de l'impossible."

In English he's the "godfather of extreme skiing."

In every language, Switzerland's Sylvain Saudan is a legend — slayer of the world's steepest slopes and owner of 23 first descents, including an epic 1982 descent of Pakistan's Hidden Peak which gained him entry into the Guinness Book of World Records for the highest and steepest slope ever skied. 

Now 81, Saudan is in B.C. to formalize a deal with Vail Resorts, the new owners of Whistler Blackcomb, and to end a decades-long dispute over the use of his name — and a significant piece of Blackcomb history.

"I like it very much," Saudan said in a thick, French accent. "I think with the new management we can have a good collaboration."

Origins of the conflict predate the ski lifts.

Local die-hards who would hike to the top of Blackcomb to ski virgin terrain began calling the gnarliest run — a steep and terrifying chute — the Saudan Couloir, in honour of the man himself. 

The name stuck, and when extreme skiing was exploding in popularity in 1987, Blackcomb launched a race that set off from the top of the Saudan Couloir and descended into the valley.

It was named, not surprisingly, the Saudan Couloir Extreme.

'Thigh-burning hell'

Marketed as "2,500 vertical feet of thigh-burning hell," the race grew in fame and popularity.

TSN signed on as a broadcaster and major corporate sponsors like Labatts jumped on board.

The Saudan Couloir Extreme was becoming big business, but none of the companies involved had ever approached Saudan to ask if they could use his name.

So when a friend returned from Whistler with news about how his name was being used, Saudan was shocked.

"He said, 'You have got to look at what they are doing, even the small shop in the hotel is called Saudan Couloir!' I was surprised," Saudan said.

Pemberton filmmaker and extreme skier Peter Chrzanowski has worked with Saudan over the years and witnessed the evolution of the race.

Huge corporate sponsors

"All these corporates were using his name without his permission," said Chrzanowski.

"For nine years it was called the Saudan Couloir — it was on the maps, it was on the race, on posters. And it had huge sponsors like Air Canada and Fuji."

"He found out about it ... and asked [Blackcomb] what are you doing with my name? And instead of talking to him they cowered and changed the name to the Couloir Extreme thinking he'll go away."

The sudden name change was not popular with locals, and it didn't sit well with Saudan.

For years he fought to be compensated. Eventually a settlement was reached, rumoured to be an amount just over six figures.

This past spring Saudan struck another deal with the mountain.

The name of the run has been restored to Saudan Couloir, and there's a chance the race will return in April of 2018 with his name as well, although a spokesman from Whistler Blackcomb said a final decision was still pending.

"We have a collaboration," said Saudan. "Now we'll see if it is a big success."