Mogul Show Turns 30

Verbier has never been short on spectacle, but nothing captures the resort’s irreverent, big‑mountain spirit quite like Boss des Bosses. On 18 March 2026, the Alps’ most anarchic mogul showdown returns for its 30th edition …three decades of bumps, costumes, chaos and pure mountain joy.

Held on the mogul field above Le Rouge, the event is proudly unpolished.

“There are no strict rules, no corporate polish, and very little seriousness” a statement from the organisers explains, just skiers and snowboarders hurling themselves down a brutal line of hand‑built moguls while judges reward not just skill, but swagger. It’s part competition, "...part community ritual, and part fancy‑dress fever dream."

From Bar Bet to Alpine Icon

The roots of Boss des Bosses are as messy and brilliant as the event itself. It began in the winter of 1989–1990, when a drunken argument in a Val d’Isère bar escalated into a challenge to determine which resort had the best skiers. The solution was simple: “Let’s race.” 

The first edition in 1990 pitted Chamonix against Val d’Isère in a format that still defines the event today …speed, style, tricks, costumes, and a healthy dose of beer. What started as a seasonaire grudge match quickly spread across the Alps, drawing teams from Verbier, Zermatt, Méribel, Courchevel, Val Thorens, and beyond. By the late ’90s, it had become “the largest inter‑resort mogul event in Europe.”

Over time, the event found its natural home in Verbier, where the terrain and the community matched its free‑spirited DNA. The course, traditionally built around Bar 1936 and Les Ruinettes, creates a natural amphitheatre where locals, seasonaires, and visitors line the piste with cowbells, beers, and unfiltered enthusiasm.

The day follows a familiar rhythm: practice laps in the morning, the main mogul battle, finals packed with big tricks, and then the legendary after‑party at Le Rouge. It’s a celebration of everything Verbier stands for: freedom, creativity, and the joy of sliding down a mountain with friends.

This year’s edition carries special meaning as the community pays tribute to Jamie “Stryker” Strachan, one of the event’s most beloved figures. Jamie embodied the playful spirit that defines Boss des Bosses, a pioneer of European freestyle skiing and a champion of young riders.

In his honour, the 30th edition introduces the Stryker Trophy, awarded to the competitor who best represents the creativity, courage, and joy that Jamie brought to the mountains. His legacy continues through Verbier and through Hip Hotels, now led by his wife Julia, who supports this year’s event.

Boss des Bosses has never been about perfection. It’s about personality. There'll be huge airs off moguls, outrageous costumes, a crowd roaring from the sidelines along with DJs, BBQs, and a festival‑like atmosphere 

Winners will walk away with custom mogul skis from Faction, alongside prizes from partners including Verbier Spirit Co., whose Verbier Gin recently earned Distisuisse Gold 2025/26.

In an era of hyper‑professionalised ski competitions, Boss des Bosses remains defiantly grassroots, a reminder of skiing before it became an industry.

As the organisers puts it, it celebrates “freestyle creativity, resort pride, and community in the mountains.”

It’s a tradition built not by federations, but by friends. A bar argument that became a 30‑year cultural cornerstone. And at its heart, the goal has never changed: Make it down the bumps with style.