When your autograph looks like Metallica’s logo, you’ll be as cool as Mark Abma. Until then, you can find him regularly spinning off of everything in sight as he travels the globe. Powder Magazine’s two-time “best male performance” award winner resurfaces in “CLAIM,” putting on another awe-inspiring show. At the end of the day, though, Abma’s just a super down-to-earth guy who’s stoked to go skiing.

What more is there to say about Eric Hjorleifson? He rips absolutely everything, and Powder Magazine awarded him the prize that best describes his skiing: Full Throttle. From slogging ascents to the rowdiest lines to the biggest airs, it’s easy to see Hoji feels most at home in the mountains. No stranger to the gnar, this guy is definitely at the top of his game.

Once again, Ingrid Backstrom pretty much killed it this year... leaving some of the boys with bewildered “how’d she do that?” looks on their faces. Ingrid spent most of her time in Alaska this season with Matchstick, aiming to maintain her spot on the throne as the queen of big-mountain freeskiing.

The man who manages to be everywhere all at once, Mr. Simon Dumont, is coming off his biggest winter yet. Between starting his own company, dominating contests all over the world, and racking up a Guinness World Record, he’s been a busy guy. Putting together film segments is just another piece of the puzzle for Dumont, and in “CLAIM” he proves just how dynamic a skier he really is.

TJ Schiller had a tough winter in ’08, blowing his knee about a week before Winter X Games and effectively ending his season prematurely. On the bright side, MSP’s film crew was lucky enough to have a solid backcountry shoot in the bag with TJ before the injury, and the footage shows a side of his skiing that most people haven’t seen before. Schiller killed it at Monashee Powder Guides with Abma and CR, milking some deep pow and airing pillow lines for two weeks straight in his backyard outside of Vernon, BC.

“Speak softly and carry a big stick.” I don’t know who said it first, but Hugo Harrisson has apparently taken the phrase to heart. Back with a vengeance, Hugo broke out to be one of the biggest claimers of the year. You’d never guess that Hugo was coming off knee trouble last year based on his performance. Hugo “I’m Back” Harrisson is here to prove that once again he is a dominant force. Big Alaskan lines are still trembling from the beatdown Hugo put on them this winter…

We’ve all been hearing about this Swede for awhile who’s been bagging podiums at events like the Jon Olsson Invitational. We knew Jacob Wester had the skills and were stoked to get him on board for “CLAIM.” He has some of the tightest tricks going, and when the opportunity arose to take him out of his element and into the big mountains of Italy, he was all over it.

The most fun on two skis, Rory Bushfield spent a few weeks shooting in BC during the early season and then mixed his segment up with some action in and around Crested Butte. Bushy’s not one to sit there with idle time on his hands… between shooting parts for his segment in “CLAIM,” he could be found building jumps, shoveling roofs, and generally just throwing his body off everything in sight.

Probably one of the nicest guys you will meet on the mountain is Chris Rubens. But don't be fooled by the innocent smile – this guy will put all claimers to shame. Teeing off on big airs and exposed lines all over Canada and Europe this winter, Rubens represents the passionate skier in all of us, just doing it for the love.

Yes, Shane McConkey is STILL the man. After countless appearances in Matchstick releases over the years, Shane is still the first guy to get stoked at the prospect of an epic trip. Flashing lines and boosting huge airs is McConkey’s M.O., and he does it all oozing the same style that he’s wowed crowds with for years. Primarily shooting around Tahoe and Haines in ’08, Shane bumped into an old friend along the way: Saucer Boy, who returns from his hiatus to prove that he’s better than you at just about everything.

Skier, Emmy-nominated cinematographer, or both? Colby West’s talents are easy to recognize both on the ski hill and off. Colby crushed it last winter with a bronze in X Games Superpipe and standing on the podium at nearly every event he entered. He proved himself yet again at Matchstick’s jump shoots, shooting some more amazing air-to-air POV shots and stomping tricks like it ain’t no thang.

The future is all about Sean Pettit. At only 15 years of age, he put together a banger of a segment for Matchstick’s “CLAIM.” Just as comfortable in the park as he is in the backcountry, Sean demonstrates a super clean style that earned him first place in slopestyle and second in big mountain at Red Bull Cold Rush. Keep an eye on him, because if you think he’s good now, just wait and see what the second half of his teen years hold in store…

When we met him at the first park shoot of the season in Keystone, PK Hunder dwarfed everyone on our crew. Truly a descendent of pure Norwegian Viking ancestry, PK towers over his peers figuratively and literally – taking home a podium spot in nearly every contest he entered in 2007. The Norge took some time away from competing this year to travel to a few new places and film with MSP. We’re stoked to have him, even though he makes us feel short, and we look forward to a long future working with him.

Head injury? What head injury? CR Johnson was right back to his old antics this year, ripping ridiculously deep powder and spinning off cliffs with the boys at Monashees. There aren’t many people as passionate or dedicated as CR, and even in the face of adversity he still continues to succeed at what he loves to do most: ski.

Chris Davenport has been on a serious mission the last few years. After climbing and skiing all of Colorado’s 14,000-foot peaks in 2007, Dav headed to the Alps with Stian Hagen and MSP to conquer some of Europe’s largest peaks: Mont Blanc, Matterhorn, Monte Rosa, and The Eiger. Always one to find new ways to pioneer the forefront of skiing, Dav is already looking for his next big project for ’09.

Returning for his second season with MSP, James Heim committed all of his time to traveling and filming with Matchstick film crews this year. Ripping deep pow and nailing 80 footers to prove he can kill it as hard as anyone, Heimer puts together a solid sophomore performance and claims in the face of adversity.

The biggest smile and the dreadiest dreads on the mountain perpetually belong to Kaj Zackrisson. Known as the “Flying Squirrel” on the big-mountain freeskiing tour, this member of the notorious Swedish Posse has brought some more Swedish flair to Matchstick’s athlete roster. After one of the gnarliest falls / best recoveries of the season, you’ll see why this guy has the skills to hang with the best in the world.

On a mission to bag some classic Euro peaks with Chris Davenport, Stian Hagen proves that he still has what it takes in the big-mountain arena. Stian, who works as professional ski guide, currently calls Chamonix home but was raised in the mountains of Norway, honing his skills and making a name for himself on the Freeskiing World Tour and previous MSP films like “High Society,” “The Front Line,” and “Yearbook.”