21 steep turns fortunately

For the fifth time the snowboard icons Terje Haakonsen and Nicolas Müller called the riders to Laax for the SuddenRush Banked Slalom at the beginning of March. Due to the winter of the century, snow was not in short supply and the weather also played its part to some extent, so that 400 riders between 4 and 56 years followed their call and thus a great atmosphere and lots of fun were guaranteed.

The SuddenRush is a three day happening, which will take place with the Pros and Masters at Friday, on Saturday with the Open Classes (the mortals among us who are of the week ...) and the youth is carried out on Sunday. And although on Friday the who-is-who of my snowboard generation was on the way (Bauer, Fernandes, Hasler, Hauser, Plötzeneder, Brunschwiler and many more), I have this year consciously decided to be on site at the Open on Saturday. That a Peter Bauer, when he heats through the course, delivers cool photos is probably clear, but we deliberately wanted to get in front of people like you and me. We were trying to take the fun out of driving, and in my view, that has works very well.

The whole Banked Slalom was held below the Grap Sogn Gion next to the regular slope with the help of Terje and Nicolas and consisted of a total of 21 Steep turns. The fastest pros needed just over a minute for the incredibly long run with a sensational view and others never came at the finish line... at least the time was no longer counted.

One thing I immediately noticed on the spot: In all the countless competitions I have participated in myself or followed as an editor for years, I have never seen so many beaming drivers driving through a course. Either Banked Slalom is really that much fun or it was the vegan tobacco, whose sweet smell poked me in the nose a few times during the day.

Taking part is everything, most of the time

Whatever still noticed: The SuddenRush is deeply relaxed. Where at another competition a not punctual appearance for the starting slot for a disqualification leads, one simply starts in the case, if it fits then. And there are actually two different types of participants: The Bitter and the epicures, black and white. Well, maybe... some shades of gray in between; for sure. So you can see even highly concentrated Faces with some uncontrolled grimaces or a laugh that even is only made worse by a fall. Of course every participant has the Ambition to come down in a good time and especially in a cool flow, but here the celebration of the snowboard culture is clearly more important than the to get any awards. Apart from a few exceptions, of course, which comparable times as we drove the Pros/Masters. Even the goalies were all day chilling in their sun chairs hanging and not having their all too stressful a job. And strangely enough, there was this vegan tobacco in the air...

And I I'm standing at the edge of the piste with 10 kg of photographic equipment and feel more and more like after that, bring down two barrels. But you can't have everything. If you've watched for half an hour and have a certain level of riding is somehow infected with the banked slalom virus. Really, so much I've never seen drivers with a beaming face before and it's so infectious that you can wants to shut down himself.

Although there were a number of crashes, some of them spectacular - the run is easy if you don't try to set the fastest time, but merciless when riding at the limit - nobody was hurt, except maybe in pride. Riders are thrown out of the curve into safety nets, cut, make an unintentional outstretched somersault (board, head, board on the snow) or just take off and land in fresh snow. The spectacle delights the spectators and also the countless photographers.

However, the course has been built in such a way that the speed is limited and can also be controlled well. The few jumps can be jumped or pushed. Therefore the youngest participant was also 4 years young and mastered the course without a fall.

Party and sustainability on the mountain

Late In the afternoon, the riders met at the valley station in Laax for the concert a beer or two or more, and to drink this vegan tobacco to smoke. There were also various other attractions: Like a little Exhibition of old snowboards, where the older students from the early days or a repair bus from Patagonia, where you can find clothes of all kinds I could have brands repaired. This is also a contribution to sustainability, which is really written in capital letters in Laax.

This The idea of sustainability is really lived through Laax. Since years every spring the slopes with volunteers from the lost garbage of last winter season. There will be a separate report give. Last year, the waste collected was used to create an art project and Laax also tries to minimize the environmental impact in all other ways reduce. Even the cups for the podium places were small Swiss stone pine trees, which plant and thus make a symbolic contribution to CO2 compensation can. It is also necessary, with the long journey of some participants...

The concert was legendary and the prize distribution was almost a minor matter; yet the winners were celebrated like rock stars. The beer continued to flow in torrents and the party went on into the night. And yes, Terje also mixed unobtrusively among the crowd and visibly enjoyed the end of the day.

Also next year there will be another SuddenRush Banked Slalom. Have fun is guaranteed and we will surely be there again!