ნიკო ფალიანი
Nick Phaliani was born in 1994 in Mestia, into the loving family of Murtaz Phaliani and Makvala Gurchiani.
He was the eldest of six siblings. Together with his wife, Mariam Kharaishvili, he has a son, Konstantine Phaliani; he also deeply cherished his niece, Nina Khergiani.
For Nick, family always came first. He shared a very close friendship with his siblings and a deep, almost magical love with his wife.
Nick often explored the mountains together with his brother, Zura Phaliani, as well as his younger sister, Keti Phaliani.
სვანეთის ელჩი
From early childhood, Nick Phaliani loved the mountains, where his grandfather first introduced him to the alpine world.
He initially snowboarded and achieved significant success in that discipline. In 2018, he enrolled in the Georgian Mountain Guides School, and in 2019 he transitioned to skiing.
Nick Phaliani became an international mountain guide (IFMG – International Federation of Mountain Guides) and later an expert in the field. He conducted numerous courses on both North and South Ushba.
He was among the first to discover and ski various previously unexplored locations, opening the way for others to follow.
Nick played a major role in the development and popularization of mountain guiding in Georgia, as well as in the tourism industry.
As his closest friend, Gogita Chartolani, wrote – he truly was an ambassador of Svaneti.
Nick Phaliani made a significant contribution to Freeride World Tour, particularly in the development and implementation of safety measures. He was responsible for overseeing ski safety and carried great responsibility, protecting the country’s reputation while ensuring the safety of participants.
“The “golden line” (as Nick used to call it), which exists between tourism and business, he tried to balance carefully and share with others like him – people who are in love with the mountains and are just beginning their journey in this field.”
ჯილდო ფრირაიდის განვითარებაში შეტანილი განსაკუთრებული წვლილისთვის
He played a major role in popularizing the sport, representing Georgia on the international stage, and inspiring a new generation.
ნიკო ფალიანის ჯილდო
“On the initiative of the founder of the Freeride World Tour, Nicolas Hale-Woods, and with the support of the local organizing team, the Niko Phaliani Award will be presented at this and upcoming FWT Georgia Pro events to the winners in both skiing and snowboarding, in the men’s and women’s categories, in honor of his memory and perseverance.
This award is a symbol of victory, courage, and love for the mountains, qualities that Niko Phaliani embodied both in his hometown of Mestia and beyond.”
Nick Phaliani’s legacy is very significant. His good deeds have inspired many young people to adopt a healthy lifestyle, attracted numerous tourists to Svaneti and, consequently, to Georgia as a whole.
He was an excellent teacher who never stopped developing; he had a gift for sharing knowledge clearly and effectively.
He was intelligent, forward-looking, and diplomatic.
მის სახელზე ვაშენებთ ბილიკების პარკს
The trail park is being built at Hatsvali, above Mestia. Every gift goes into finished trail — machine time, tools, signage and the crews who cut it.