Arosa's Snowpark was the playground in which the freeskiers, aged 12 to 18, improved their skills on rails and kicker lines. There was even a giant airbag at their disposal. Alpiq supported the camp because Alpiq InTec operates a branch in Arosa and because Alpiq believes it is important to provide practical leisure activities for young people.
For the 30 young people, the highlight of their ski season was training with Elias Ambühl, the Number One in the AFP Big Air World Ranking. They benefited from his experience, and alongside him, his brother Andri and two other coaches provided advice and instruction over the five days in April 2012.
Rapid progress «I'm absolutely delighted to see how quickly the kids made progress and applied our inputs. Even if the weather was not ideal throughout, they were always highly motivated,» said Elias Ambühl. 11-year-old Nathalie from Schindellegi flew over the rails and boxes like a little professional. «My older sister found out about the camp over Facebook, so I registered.» The fact that she was the only girl did not bother her. «The boys are all nice.» Lots of participants executed a double trick for the first time at the camp. «So cool, and thanks to the airbag I felt confident in jumping a Switch Double Cork. Soon I'll do it over the kicker,» said Etienne from St. Moritz.
Lots of action and no injuries Injuries were prevented by fun-filled warm-ups and lessons on conduct in the Snowpark. The efforts paid off. The camp ended with not a single injury. Thanks to four groups, all freeskiers were able to train at their own skill level.
Successful première For Alpiq this first camp was a successful première. It's great to see young athletes giving up their time to train young people – particularly when this involves sport and outdoor exercise. The technical and social skills of the coaches were impressive, and a credit to them. Participants experienced a fantastic week filled with lots of wonderful memories.
Elias Ambühl Freeski Camp
For five days, the camp in Arosa was dedicated to free skiing. Training was carried out in and around the Snowpark under the supervision of Elias Ambühl, the current Number One in the AFP Big Air World Ranking.
The aim of the camp is to offer young freeski enthusiasts a unique experience and to promote up-and-coming talents. The participants, aged 12 to 18, were instructed on training methods, safety, responsibility, mental training and tricks. They were also given insider tips, theory instruction and video analyses.
Says freeski pro Elias Ambühl, «My aim is to let the kids experience success, as well as just enjoy skiing. I want to show them how to improve their technique and style, and discover ways of learning new tricks.»
Further information: Website: www.eliasambuehl.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/eliasambuhl Flickr: www.flickr.com/photos/eliasambuehl/sets Elias Ambühl TV: www.vimeo.com/channels/eliasambuhltv