Born in Mexico and raised in Switzerland, Liam Rivera has always done things differently. His first season on the Freeride World Tour ended with Rookie of the Year honors. Since then he's made the overall podium three years running and claimed silver at the legendary Verbier Xtreme – results that mark him out as one of the most complete freeriders of his generation. Now, at 26, he's added another big title.

The inaugural FIS Freeride World Championship went down in Ordino Arcalís, Andorra – a winner-takes-all event that brought the best names from the FWT together for one definitive showdown. Rivera's line was a big mountain masterclass: a technical couloir entry, cliff drops threaded between rock walls, a lofty backflip and a floaty front three. His score of 84.33 put him clear of Victor de Le Rue and into the history books.

We caught up with him shortly after the result to talk line choice, gear, and what it means to be crowned FIS world champion.

Congrats again on the victory! This was the first Freeride World Champs – were you aware of the significance?

I knew it was a new comp, but it was organized by the same people as the Freeride World Tour so I didn't approach it much differently. They had a fancy opening ceremony, but apart from that it felt almost the same. Having one event that crowns the world champ is quite new for us. I’d always felt that consistency over a whole season is what makes you the world champion, but I realize now that other sports have it, and I guess it’s the same with the Olympics.

Talk us through your line. How did you approach the face?

We didn't have that much time to scope – the days running up to the event were really snowy and windy, so we saw the face for maybe an hour and a half the day before the comp.

The face had three different sections, and I looked at every possible entry before opting for this closed-out couloir. Some people were saying it looked flat and might sluff out, but I talked it through with some skiers and [my coach] Emilien Badoux, and we agreed it would work. It was a bit flatter than I expected, but we had amazing conditions – pow for once in Andorra!

Then I had a pretty scary cliff where I had to pre-pop from the back into this little chute between two rock walls. I couldn't really see the line from above, I just had to thread the needle and carry enough speed to clear it. I ended up getting very close to the right wall, but it worked out.

After that, the part I was really looking forward to was a little double cliff, which linked perfectly into a windlip for a front three. Those features connected nicely and I got first tracks into that section, which I was happy about.

How much can you actually enjoy a line when you're competing?

It really depends on the venue and the conditions. If you have a lot of different line options, you enjoy it more – you can find something that speaks to you rather than being forced into a couple of line choices. In Andorra the snow was really nice and there were a lot of options, so I was genuinely having a good time. I didn't really think about it being a comp much; I would have ridden that line even if it wasn't a contest, for filming or just for fun. And if you have fun, you'll ride better. The judges will see it too, and you'll score better.

Talk us through your gear. Why the Escape Plus for a comp like this?

I like that it's full camber – you get more control and more pop. And I really like the directional shape; it's a board that will take everything the mountain throws at you. My run was quite varied – big mountain at the top but with freestyle elements mixed in – so it's nice to have a board that does it all. You can take it anywhere.

Boots wise I was on the Kita APX – they’re one of the stiffest options we have at Nidecker. Then the LT Supermatic® bindings.

“If you have fun, you'll ride better”

How do you use the Supermatic® system in a comp setting?

In comps I sometimes click in manually rather than using the speed entry, but that's actually what's great about it – you can use it as a conventional binding when you’re dropping in from a steep ridgeline or whatever. The LT feels way more snug and responsive than the original version, and that’s helped me compete. The hold you get at a certain speed, the way you can lean into your heel or toe edge, the way the straps hold your foot – it makes a big difference. I have the same trust in the LT Supermatic® as any other binding. That's the main thing.

How did you celebrate?

It was a bit overwhelming at first – it all happened very fast and I don't think it really sunk in until a few days later. My manager and my dad were both there and they were the ones who carried me up to the podium. We ended up going out in Andorra that evening; a good friend who lives there organized a little party... then some random club, back to the hotel, and I woke up pretty early because we had an eleven-hour drive home the next day. So that was a full-on couple of days.

You might be the only freeride world champion with Mexican heritage. Is that a claim you can make?

Probably in snowboarding, yeah. I don't want to claim all snow sports – there might be a Mexican ice skater who's really good somewhere... but on snow, it's a fair claim. It made every Swiss news outlet, or at least the big ones. I'd need to check if I made the Mexican news. Could be, actually.

“I have the same trust in the LT Supermatic as any other binding”

What's next?

I'm already in Georgia for the next Freeride World Tour stop. I think the snow is going to be alright, though part of the face may have slid so there could be some debris in places. Then we still have three more events on the tour after that – including Verbier.

Would you like to see freeride at the Olympics one day?

I think I would. If it stays the way it is, it would give the sport a lot more visibility – especially to people who know snowboarding through slopestyle or halfpipe but haven't discovered freeride. If you do it in a smart way and make sure people understand the risks, it could open things up and help the sport progress. I think it's a really cool part of snowboarding and a lot of people who love riding love to freeride.

For sure, it's the best bit of snowboarding! Congrats again, champ.