Xavier, Victor and Mila De le Rue set off on a boat through the South Seas, passing the famous Drake Passage before setting foot on the mountains at the end of the world in Antarctica. This epic adventure is chronicled in the film "Of a lifetime", which you can watch in full here.
What could be better than to embark on one's first major adventure in an unknown land, accompanied by two snowboarders with a combined total of six freeride world championship titles? It was against this backdrop that Mila De le Rue, an 18-year-old skier on the Freeride World Tour qualifying circuit, took part in the expedition to Antarctica organized by her sponsor The North Face, which also included Xavier De le Rue (her father) and Victor De le Rue (her uncle). The 45-minute film "Of a lifetime" retraces the boat trip that took these three riders to the sublime slopes of this little-known continent.
While this is obviously not Xavier and Victor's first trip, this production is worth a look not only for the magnificent images shot on these mountains surrounded by water, but also to see Mila apprehend the demands of such an adventure. From crossing the dreaded Drake Passage to descending incredibly vertical slopes and iceberg-strewn seas, it's an understatement to say that the three The North Face athletes had a unique experience on this expedition.
" The last time I crossed Drake Passage, I told myself I'd never do it again. That was 12 years ago. "explains Xavier. This point marks the entrance to the Antarctic Peninsula, the change in landscape and the first icebergs. The faces before them are majestic vertical lines, impressive 55-degree slopes and extraordinary peaks created by the unique climate due to the proximity of the sea and the fresh snow that stretches as far as the eye can see. Over the five weeks, the crew also forged an even stronger bond, between challenge and exhilaration, with long evenings watching the whales dance around the boat, or celebrating Mila's 18th birthday together.
Selected for a number of festivals over the past few weeks, "Of a lifetime" won two awards at the latest Annecy High Five, the benchmark festival for outdoor sports productions. The film was awarded the prize for the most beautiful female descent for Mila De le Rue and the most beautiful male descent for Victor de Le Rue. Yet another reason to sit back and watch one of this winter's must-see films.
