After only two years, the adidas Slopestyle has become one of the largest and
most significant freeride events in the world. For the second time in a row the
small town of Saalbach Hinterglemm turned into a Freeride Mecca this June when
the adidas Slopestyle Contest pulled the fourty best freeriders in the world to
Austria and along with them 100 journalists, photographers, and film crews as
well as the who?s who of the international freeride community. Now Saalbach
Hinterglemm has committed to be the Slopestyle venue for three more years.
?The adidas Slopestyle is one of our most important summer highlights?, says
Saalbach Hinterglemm?s Mayor Peter Mitterer. ?We?ve seen reports all over the
world about this event and thus our town. The coverage we had because of the
Slopestyle is impressive. So of course we want this major event to take place
in Saalbach Hinterglemm for the years to come.? Axel Burkhardt, global sports
marketing manager for adidas Cycling, Adventure, and Olympic Sports is also
pleased with the renewal of the partnership. ?We are in good hands and
freeriders like Saalbach Hinterglemm. Our dirt jumper John Jesme hit the mark
when he said ?Where else can you come to a town and take it over? No where, but
here.? And speaking from my own experience I can only confirm what he said.?
New Slopestyle site confirmed To emphasize their commitment, the municipality
sanctioned a new Slopestyle site to satisfy a long beared wish of the
organisers. ?We?ve already reached our limits
building this year?s Slopestyle course, because the terrain at Reiterkogel
mountain is very steep?, explains Saalbach?s mountain bike patron Bascht
Hasenauer (Bike ?n Soul). The new site is less precipitous and wider, thus we
have more options.
Our course designer Gareth Dyer has always asked for a flatter slope and now we
are able to fulfil his wish.?
Date 2006: 15 ? 18 June
In 2006 the adidas Slopestyle will again take place on the third weekend in
June. Feast of Corpus Christi ? a public holiday in Austria and the German
federal states Baden-Wuerttemberg, Bavaria, Hesse, North Rhine Westphalia,
Rhineland-Palatinate and Saarland ? will be on June 15th next year which is a
great opportunity to spend an extended weekend in Austria. ?This date will also
be our
official summer opening. Our cable cars start running for the 5 gondola tour,
the best way to explore our single track paradise?, says Wolfgang Breitfuss,
tourism director of Saalbach Hinterglemm which has been voted best bike region
in Austria for two consecutive years. ?Our holiday service will offer great
weekend bargains in all hotel categories. Meanwhile we also cooperate with low
cost airlines and can offer complete package deals including airfare, shuttle
and accommodation.?
NEW: Rookie Qualifier on Thursday
The Slopestyle organisers also use the public holiday for an expansion of their
contest. On that day they will host a Rookie Qualifier at which talented
freeride newcomers can win five start places for the adidas Slopestyle
qualification. ?Year around we are bombarded with photos and video clips by
kids who are begging us to let them start at the adidas Slopestyle?, explains
event director Mike Hamel. ?We know that there is some amazing talent out
there. For instance, 14 year olds write us that they have built a foam pad in
their backyard to practice back flips. We want to give all these young talents
a fair chance. The adidas Slopestyle is a significant international stage which
can make nobodies famous over night. If we want to develop this sport further
we have to look out for new blood and give unknown freeriders the chance to
present themselves ? otherwise they?ll never be discovered.?
Saalbach Hinterglemm prepares for the future
In order to manage the continuously increasing stampede of visitors,
Hinterglemm will build a seven level parking garage with a large event surface
area submontane Reiterkogel cable car station next year. ?With this project we
do not only create more parking space, we also offer our guests roofed parking
underneath the cable car station?, says Mayor Peter Mitterer. ?Our freeride
park will remain open, of course, throughout the construction phase. Once the
Reiterkogel cable car stops running, a freeride shuttle service will take
over.? Just in time for the season opening 2006, the new Blue Line will be
inaugurated. This 3.5 kilometre long freeride course was mainly created for
beginners, but its great flow will certainly also be enjoyed by experienced
freeriders. Austria?s Federal Nature Conservation Agency has already sanctioned
the new route this month. Federal Nature Conservation Agency praises adidas
Freeride as exemplary Officers of the Austrian Federal Nature Conservation
Agency have extolled the adidas Freeride in Saalbach Hinterglemm as model for
all other bike parks, because it does not only canalise freeriders in the woods
but is also a paradigm for the perfect integration into nature. Even its
branding is natural. Instead of putting up ugly plastic boards the park?s
sponsors are acknowledged on timber panels and through stone formations.
Date:
24/11/2005