Strava Integrates Ski and Snowboard Tracking Into Platform


Strava, a social network for fitness enthusiasts and athletes, has partnered with the app Slopes to help skiers and snowboarders keep track of their days on the mountain.

Slopes is an iOS app that helps users automatically track skiing or snowboarding workouts from their iPhones or Apple Watches. It can detect the difference between lifts and runs, and provides detailed insight into a user’s performance. It also has a virtual 3D mapping function that enables users to relive their runs.

The integration enables Strava users to keep track of snowsports activities alongside their other workouts. Users can also share their progress and mountain adventures with their connections on the platform, and find groups of likeminded athletes. The new feature comes as Strava works to expand the sports it covers, while partnering with third-party apps to provide users with a more robust set of data about their activities.

“Strava continues to integrate new partners and improve analytics across sport types, which helps support athletes across their entire active lives,” said David Lorsch, Strava’s vice president of strategy and business development, in a statement.

Sports business, tech, analytics

Strava’s recent partnerships with companies in the outdoor, gym, fitness, and boutique studio spaces help users keep track of less traditional workouts, such as group fitness classes, rock climbing, and spinning, via Flywheel and Peloton. Users are increasingly turning to boutique fitness and outdoor activities, rather than basic gym memberships, to stay in shape. 

When first rolling out gym and studio integrations in early 2018, Strava CEO James Quarles said the feature was meant to meet athletes wherever and whenever they worked out to help keep them motivated. 

“Our athletes don’t have one single way they work out—they like to mix it up—a trail run, some strength training and a studio class all in the same week,” he said. “Wherever you sweat, we want it to have a home on Strava.”