After the first Brazilian Championships in Chile in July 1995, I went to Vail in January 1996 with my brother Leo and group of Brazilians. We were about 8 Brazilians, I was the only woman, and I was only invited because I insisted a lot with the then president of ABSS (Brazilian Ski and Snowboard Association), Domingos Giobbi. Among them, besides my brother and I, were the brothers Leo and Oskar Metsavaht, Carlos Eduardo de Almeida (Dinho), among others. After the training we had with the subsidy of the FIS (International Ski Federation), we decided to visit Aspen. We were very well received and loved the place. At that time, snowboarding was not allowed on one of the four mountains, Aspen Mountain, only skiing. Even so, we went up the gondola with our boards and we were taken on an experience beyond the lifts: we went up on a snowcat and had an unforgettable descent down the wildest slopes with fresh snow. We even made a beautiful snowboarding film called Cool and Brazilian.
Leo and I returned to Aspen the following season to participate in a Giant Slalom competition in Snowmass organized by ISF (International Snowboard Federation), which was extinct after the FIS included snowboarding as a skiing discipline in the Winter Olympics in 1998. Later, in 2003, I returned to Aspen with a higher technical level and competed in the Winter X Games for the first time. My sister Julia began spending time in Aspen and ended up staying in 2007, after meeting her then-husband Nick, with whom she still lives today, along with their son Lucas. I kept going back to Aspen for competitions and filming, and finally in 2020, after retiring from competitions, I returned to work at the Aspen/Snowmass ski and snowboard school, where I remain to this day. And in 2025, after getting the Real Estate Broker license, I also started working in the real estate market.
I felt attraction every time I visited Aspen and decided to stay here like a lot of people end up staying. The incredible quality of the snow, slopes and terrain, the mountain town even small, with all styles and tastes, there is a special place for everyone here. Whether it is on one of the four mountains, or in some activity, or in a restaurant or store that you like, or with people you identify with. From the moment I get on the plane that will land in Aspen, I start to connect with the vibration of the people and the place. A great energy and joy among the people that lives here or visit, it is contagious!
As a former Olympic athlete, ski and snowboard instructor, architect, and real estate agent, I have the privilege of experiencing the best of Aspen and Snowmass. This mountain paradise offers an unparalleled combination of natural beauty, outdoor adventure, and world-class infrastructure and services.
Watch videos filmed during this time in Aspen. In addition to the film Cool and Brazilian, we even appeared in Esporte Espetacular!
