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

Was auch noch auffiel: Der SuddenRush ist ganz tiefenentspannt. Wo an einem anderen Wettkampf ein nicht pünktliches Erscheinen für den Startslot zu einer Disqualifikation führt, startet man in dem Fall einfach, wenn’s dann passt. Und so gibt es eigentlich zwei unterschiedliche Typen von Teilnehmern: Die Verbissenen und die Geniesser, schwarz und weiss. Nun, vielleicht auch noch einige Graustufen dazwischen; ganz sicher. So sieht man auch hochkonzentrierte Gesichter mit irgendwelchen unkontrollierten Fratzen oder ein Lachen, das sogar durch einen Sturz nur noch grösser wird. Natürlich hat jeder Teilnehmer den Ehrgeiz in einer guten Zeit und vor allem in einem coolen Flow runterzukommen, hier ist jedoch klar das Zelebrieren der Snowboard-Kultur wichtiger, als irgendwelche Preise zu holen. Natürlich absehen von einigen Ausnahmen, welche vergleichbare Zeiten wir die Pros/Masters fuhren. Sogar die Torwächter waren den ganzen Tag chillig auf ihren Sonnenstühlen am hängen und haben ihren nicht all zu stressigen Job gemacht. Und komischerweise lag schon wieder dieser vegane Tabak in der Luft…

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.

Obwohl es etliche, teilweise spektakuläre  Stürze gab – der Lauf ist einfach, wenn man nicht versucht die Bestzeit zu fahren, jedoch erbarmungslos bei Fahrten am Limit – wurde niemand verletzt, ausser vielleicht im Stolz. Da werden Rider aus der Kurve in Fangnetze geschmissen, verschneiden, machen ungewollt einen gestreckten Salto (Brett, Kopf, Brett auf dem Schnee) oder heben einfach ab und landen im Neuschnee. Das Spektakel freut die Zuschauer und auch die unzähligen Fotografen.

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!