Professional skiers almost always need to grind incredibly hard to get to the top. Not just in training, either. In order for them to actually earn sponsorships and places in competitions, so they can build a life around the sport, they need to market themselves and their skills to companies and organizers, and that takes a lot of work.
Lupe Hagearty is a pretty darn well known name in the freeski world. Filming alongside the likes of Tanner Hall and Tom Wallisch, it would be hard to argue that he hasn’t “made it big”. But it hasn’t been a cakewalk. Lupe’s mother passed when he was five and his father struggled with addiction throughout his childhood. He fell in love with the sport while on a ski trip in Vermont with his extended family. Financial hurdles still impact his life, despite working towards being among the best for most of his life.
We got wind of Lupe’s documentary, titled ‘Lupe’, back in September, and have been eagerly awaiting its release since then. The near 40-minute film (posted to the X-Games YouTube channel) covers his childhood and adulthood grind towards the top and the struggles he continues to face despite already being there.
“Now 30 and living in Salt Lake City, Lupe has had a successful career as a pro-skier for over a decade, filming with legends Tanner Hall and Tom Wallisch and competing in X Games Real Ski in 2021. But the challenge is far from over. Despite living out his dream, Lupe still struggles to have the financial security to one day have a family of his own, grinding each year to renew sponsorships and continue living out his dream. As the Christmas holidays approach, he travels home to his family in Hartford, CT, confronting his difficult past and reflecting on his career, trying to figure out what is next…“
Image Credit: X Games via YouTube