SWATCH NINES COURSE PREVIEW
For the past 16 years, the creative crucible known as Swatch Nines has reliably produced some of the most visually spectacular features in snow sports. In 2024 that tradition continues as yet another dream snowpark has sprouted on the slopes of Schilthorn, Switzerland.
Now the fun begins: From April 9th to 13th, concluding with a public day on Saturday the 13th, an elite crew of skiers and snowboarders will explore every transition of this monumental setup while a dedicated media team captures all the action.
Here’s all you need to know about the 2024 Swatch Nines Setup…
Photo by Theo Acworth
BY THE NUMBERS
4 feature tiers
16 days of build time
18 days of snow collection prior to the build (all natural snow)
21 snowpark builders (4 snowcat drivers, 3 excavator operators, 14 shapers)
21 meters (height of the hip landing)
2,515 metres (elevation of the venue)
60,000 cubic meters of snow (all natural snow)
THE FEATURES
Photo by Theo Acworth
The setup begins with the Swatch riders’ zone, which is tricked out with a snow bar, a hikeable rail line, and some special wooden features for BMXing.
Photo by Theo Acworth
Next up is “The Portal,” a tunnel-like element that features a cross-slope transfer gap as well as a daunting rail feature suspended high above the channel. Riders will drop through the middle of The Portal to gain speed for the next feature.
Photo by Theo Acworth
The “Perfect Hip 2.0” is the central element of this year’s setup. Its dimensions are staggering: 10-meter-high takeoffs, a 21-meter-high double-sided landing, and a total length of over 50 meters. A total of seven different takeoffs offer multiple ways of utilizing this colossal pile of snow, but make no mistake: The Perfect Hip is designed and built with the goal of sending riders rocketing skyward to potentially record-breaking heights.
Photo by Theo Acworth
Finally, the “Transition Playground” completes the venue. It’s a diverse collection of bowls, volcanos and unique transfers, designed to provide a more playful and creative venue after the challenges of the features above. But don’t discount it just yet—this zone is sure to provide some of the week’s highlight action as well.
CREATORS’ CABIN: DESIGNING A DREAMLAND
These features are the product of months of intensive collaboration between athletes, designers and park builders. The process of designing the setup began at a creative workshop in October 2023, where the first sketches were made. Since then the features have evolved into their final form, steered by input from riders like Jesper Tjäder (SKI, SWE), Fridtjof “Fridge” Tischendorf (SNB, NOR) and Alex Hackel (SKI, USA).
PUBLIC DAY: SATURDAY, THE 13TH OF APRIL
On the Public Day, the general public is invited to Schilthorn to experience Swatch Nines for themselves. Visitors are guaranteed a day to remember as they watch the stars of the athlete roster express their creativity on the event setup. The Public Day is free to attend with a Schilthorn ski pass, available here, for skiers and snowboarders only—no foot traffic allowed.
QUOTES
“Being involved in the ideation process for the Swatch Nines course is absolutely insane. I can’t believe how much input they actually take from the athletes. It’s really like a blank slate: Everyone just draws up their ideas and argues for why their idea would be cool. You hear someone else’s idea and start to build new ideas off of that. It’s absolutely insane that they give us that opportunity, because if you understand how big these features are and what level the Nines are doing it at, the fact that you’re involved in it is mind-blowing.” —Alex Hackel (SKI, USA)
“It feels unrealistic to be a part of something going from a pencil drawing to a life- sized snow feature. So many people coming together making this dream event, and I’m so excited to have been involved with drawing, talking and exploring the perfect hip!” —Fridtjof “Fridge” Tischendorf (SNB, NOR)
“The amount of hours that go into designing the setup is insane. Overall it’s at least ten different drafts, probably more, and thousands of hours. It’s so crazy because you put so much thought into every little detail, and you change it so much, and then in the end you might not have enough snow and you just don’t build it, or you build it differently at the last minute. We look at it from a sports perspective first and design second. Sports always come first—we wanted to give the athletes something they haven’t ridden for a long time, do something different and not just build another Big Air jump. That’s the idea behind the Perfect Hip.” —Nico Zacek, Swatch Nines Founder
“I love to visualize all the ideas that are floating around in everyone’s head. Exploring designs within the requirements of rideability and feasibility and bringing all these things together into one great design and seamless appearance is my main goal. The biggest reward for me is when I see the riders performing, pushing the limit and having the best time on this playground.” —Sebastian Gehwolf, Course Designer
For more information on the Swatch Nines visit thenines.cc.