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The sport of freeskiing has continued to grow since its foundation in the early 1990s. Warnick was credited by freeskiing professionals as one of the people who helped to advance the sport.
It was reported on Monday by POWDER that freeskier Tom Warnick passed away from an unknown cause. Although Warnick was still somewhat of an underground skier, his passion for the sport was evident in his work at Boulder, Colorado-based Stept Productions.
He helped film and produce The Eighty-Six and Weight, both of which delve into the world of freeskiing and were nominated for Movie of the Year at the POWDER Awards that are held annually.
As for his life in front of the camera, Warnick was the first to admit he wasn’t leading in his sport—but friends argue he was by far one of the best people to ski with. His spontaneous personality, his ability to make people constantly laugh, and unique style in the sport made him a hit on Newschoolers.com, which he also wrote for.
A post on the website written by Mosseau detailed Warnick’s personality.
“Known for his smooth style and laid-back approach to skiing, Tom was a friend to many, and a true ambassador of freeskiing culture. He was never afraid to speak his mind and believed in the real essence of the sport—having fun, skiing hard, and not giving a shit what anybody else thinks,” he wrote.
Warnick grew up in Maryland and made the move to Colorado to study at the University of Colorado Boulder, which he hoped would put him in a region where he could succeed at becoming a professional skier.
Professional skier Sean Jordan was a friend and said Warnick was the most energized person to have around while skiing.
“He had a real huge part in our group of friends. I would never turn down an opportunity to hang out with Tom,” professional skier Clayton Vila told Powder. “He was so entertaining. He was our comic relief, and an early inspiration to all of us as skiers. He was the most naturally talented skier I’ve ever known.”
Check out The Eighty-Six trailer below.
Image from Richyw on the Wikimedia Commons