Winterfun, exciting events and getting ready for the island!

Hi there folks

Since i decided to stay this winter in Switzerland and getting geared up for the coming spring and summer, I had for sure to come up with some excitement. Paddling in 2008 has been long and good and I was honestly happy to exchange my boat for a few months with some powdersticks. How could have thought what incredible winter was coming up?!

I have settled in fall right outside of Interlaken in a house right by the lake. The White Luetschine, possibly one of the funniest rivers in Switzerland flowing right beside my house into the Lake of Brienz. As spring is in the air, this incredible place really starts to show off its magic!

Standing on top of a completaly fresh run with the northface of the Eiger standing up high.

In february, we received massive amounts of snow and after a few years in which i couldnt draw as much attentions as I sometimes wanted to the mountains in winter, this season I really got hooked up again, with resorts like Grindelwald, Wengen and Schilthorn right out of my doorstep! I also got back on skis. How great is that?! Working in a skishop and having the latest toys to play with certainly helps, but let’s be honest: On a realy powederday theres nothing like a snowboard?!

As the days get longer and warmer, the itch certainly starts to increase. Taking the seakayak sometimes for a ride certainly can’t make up for sitting in my creekboat, yet is something that i truly start to enjoy. SInce the lake of Brienz is outstandingly beautiful and offering wonderful places, i will defenatly also in summer swap boats every now and than.

Flat as a sheet… Straight ahead is my new house.

Beside spending as much time on the mountain, yet also getting organised with the upcoming Freestyle World Championships, every now and than i like to leave the valley and get something different. Red Bull hosted this weekend the “Red Bull Crashed Ice” in Lausanne. An Ice- Cross Downhill Event in the middle of the city of Lausanne, surely a mindblowing platform for great spectacle.

40’000 people gathered in the centre of Lausanne to cheer for the athletes.

Works pretty much the same way as Boater-X: Four riders start together, the two going over the finishline first going into the next round.

Very impressive set up, organisation and people turn up!

Many athletes, organisers, buisnesspartners and mediapeople were invited personally to the Crashed Ice and, oh boy did we enjoy ourselves one of the slickest events i have ever been!

Spring is in the air and as temperatures get warmer, the outlook of all this masses of snow melting very very soon is fantastic! Might be one of the better seasons of the last years coming up it looks like!

The Interlaken boys are right now getting organised for the trip to Corsica. As the whole of Switzerland also Corsica and the Piemonte received lots and lots of snow…

Updates coming soon!

Be safe out there and enjoy spring!

On a mission

Simon