Marion Hearty

Marion’s journey towards Freeride World Tour success began at the age of ten when she discovered a snowboard-shaped parcel lying underneath her Christmas tree. Inspired by her older brother, who had taken up the sport, and the talented female snowboarders like Margot Rozies and Anne-Flore Marxer whom she read about in magazines, she threw herself into her new sport, honing her skills on the slopes of Chamrousse, near Grenoble. She was determined to be just like the girls she saw in snowboard magazines, travelling the world, meeting interesting people and embracing new adventures. 

At first, Marion explored everything from half-pipe and slope style to boardercross. But after reflecting deeply during time out through injury in 2015, she decided to move into freeriding, which offered the combination of liberty, diversity and adventure she craved. In just her second season of competing in freeride events, she became the 2017 Freeride World Tour champion, aged just 25. Proud of her competitive success, she also embraced the opportunity to see new places, competing everywhere from Andorra to Alaska.  

Marion can remember what she calls the ‘fire of energy’ she felt when she first stepped onto a snowboard, and she still channels this same passion today. Adventurous and fearless, she enjoys the freedom of competing on the World Tour, where she can choose her own lines, embrace her creative instinct, and showcase her full range of abilities. She treasures the freedom of the mountains where she can ride with friends and feel close to nature.

Above all, she is driven by an endless quest for discovery. Her motto is, ‘if you don’t test it, you can’t know it’, and she is keen to push the boundaries of her sport with original ideas and projects. She also hopes to visit Patagonia and Nepal in the future to experience new cultures and environments. 

Passionate about outdoor adventure, she enjoys everything from skateboarding to wakeboarding and spends the summer months paragliding. She is as happy watching surfing on TV as she is discovering new ideas for adventures through nature documentaries. To relax she enjoys listening to music – from Valerie June to Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – and she is currently studying for a master’s degree at business school.

Always hungry for more, she is determined to perfect her freeriding skills by pushing her body to the limit and seeking new levels of performance. For her, the performance is as important as the result. She is also keen to expand her skillset with a view to future big mountain adventures, by learning about rope work, glacier skills and avalanche risks.

Although Marion’s competitive success suggests she has already reached the pinnacle of her sport, she feels as though she is still at the bottom of the mountain, staring up at the peaks above knowing there are exciting new heights to aim for.