mitch blog

snow is gone, time to enjoy the summer mountains. i really like to pedal my  heavy bike up the mountain as long as there is some nice run down waiting for me. riding my fully downhill I almost get in the same flow feeling as if i was riding my snowbaord…all pictures taken by ulrich hoschek

sometimes you got to carry your bike to get to the sweet spots...

After not much snow for the whole season here in Austria the conditions on the Wildseeloder in Fieberbrunn were difficult. The lookers left side, facing more north seemed to be filled in with some old powder which would produce a lot of sluff when riding there, on the lookers right side which is more east facing we expected hard snow that may turn into spring snow with the morning sun. Like my Austrian mates who finally finished on the podium i went for the gamble and did hope for soft spring snow on the to me more interesting lookers right side of the mountain. Early morning on the event day some fön wind already started to hit the mountains making me a little nervous for the snow conditions. But when i dropped in with  bib number 4 the snow was just right. Feels great to finally win after trying hard the whole season and to share the podium with Max Zipser and the british gentlemen James Stentiford. I am also stoked to see skier Stefan Häusl winning his first Worldtour event in front of Reine Barkered and the local and hero Hauni Haunholder. Good vibes, great organisation, sorry for the last skiers who had to ride with flat light. Sorry also for one of the strongest snowboarders on the tour, Matt Annetts who broke his knee cap in sochi last week and is out for the rest of the season.

my line choice on the lookers right of the wildseeloder

and here a link to the story on our favorite radio station in Austria, Heinz Reich for Fm4

If the snow comes at time the early season before christmas is one of my favorite times to ride at home. Seems like everybody is stressed out before christmas, not too many people have the time and patience to be out on the mountain to play. The sun is low and doesnt has the power to harm the good snow on the south faces so we are riding powpow there for days. So we did during the last days, magic snow in a magic soft light, i love it and it is my way of celebrating christmas…