From March 16 to 18, a very special freeride contest will take place for the fifth time in the Grisons Oberland - the Eco Freeride Contest "Kick the Vik"!
To start with: the "Kick the Vik" freeride contest on the Oberalp Pass in Disentis is a truly unique freeride competition. This year, the event in the Maighelstal valley on the Oberalp Pass is even an official qualifying competition of the Freeride World Tour.
Viktor Kickthevik has been a freerider from the very beginning and launched the Eco Freeride Contest five years ago. With his eco-minded lifestyle, Viktor is committed to protecting the mountain world as much as possible. He frowns upon motorized transport and ascents in the form of helicopters, snowmobiles and lifts. Instead, Viktor shoulders all his TV and ski equipment himself and takes on the two-hour walk from the Oberalp Pass to the SAC Maighelshütte so as not to disturb the tranquillity of the Maighel Valley.
This is also expected of the participants in the Kick the Vik Eco Freeride Contest; and that is what makes the event so unique. For three days, a total of 60 freeskiers, snowboarders and telemarkers from the international field of participants spend a relaxed time together at the Maighelshütte, studying the surrounding mountains, checking out the perfect downhill line together and simply having a great time. An entertaining alternative program with photo workshops and risk management courses as well as creative craft competitions and games is therefore provided.
The competition profile
The freeriders are observed during their run by professional judges and assessed according to five different criteria:
1) difficulty, level and standard of the line,
2) the level of skiing and skiing technique,
3) harmony, style and flow,
4) jumps and
5) falls and tricks.
It therefore depends on creativity in the choice of line as well as style, individuality, confidence and sophistication. I'm excited to see what tricks I'll get in front of the lens this year...
You can find more information about the Kick the Vik Eco Freeride contest here...
Hanna Finkel is a freeskier, PowderGuide.com editor and, like last year, will once again be taking part in the Kik the Vik Freeride Eco contest as an embedded reporter, so to speak.
