Amazing Shred Fest by the Crew to celebrate Snowpark Gastein’s 10th Birthday

About a dozen obstacles and maybe two or three shapers, that’s how everything started out at the Snowpark Gastein in 2007. And that’s all it took for the crew and the riders to get excited. These days, the park boasts around 30 elements and the number of crew members has been growing constantly too. One thing’s definitely remained the same, though – the shape crew’s uncompromising passion for their project! This became more than clear during the setup check out, which took place last week. “Shaping the obstacles to perfection first and ripping them as soon as your work’s done – that’s what the life of a shaper’s all about,” Swedish shaper Stig Magnus Sjörberg says. “It really was the perfect day for the shoot, we were having loads of fun,” Bart Vennix, Stig’s colleague from the Netherlands, adds.

It took countless hours of hard work and loads and loads of effort for the setup to become what it is today. Ten years ago the snowpark was taken over by QParks, which also means that it was one of the first parks ever to be designed and maintained by the now established park operating company. Still, it’s been a long and, literally, rough journey until the current level could be reached. Step by step the design was optimized and the terrain was enhanced over the years. “All of us got along really well from the beginning on and we just gave everything we could, as a team, to come up with an amazing park,” Andi Röck, the project’s first park designer, has fond memories of those early days in Gastein. He spent one of his best seasons there – at the park and also away from the common slopes, because Gastein is one of the Alps’ most popular freeride hotspots as well. This is also something this year’s five crew members certainly benefit from, when they’re not busy shredding the park. Actually, as a freestyler you don’t have to leave the park at all, though, since the park’s own lift and a cozy mountain lodge complete the range of offers at the Stubnermulde.

Plenty of Highlights - Year in, Year out

In order for the snowpark to live up to it’s reputation as a freestyle heavyweight, it also has to be the location for a couple of cool events. Just take the Monster Session by Snowboard MBM, the Downdays Session, the Nash Tour Stop for the youngsters, the Pro-Coaching with Joni Malmi or the SnowTunes Session – Gastein’s always been open-minded when it comes to new ideas. That’s also why Gastein certainly is the perfect location for the Shred Poker on March 26. Apart from having BBQ and listening to some smooth beats in a relaxed atmosphere, you also get the chance to collect poker chips for your best moves, which you can trade in for cash and goodies at the end of the day. By the way, the multi jib obstacle for the session was chosen in the course of a public voting. “We’re putting great effort in the construction,” park designer Bastian Adam says.

During the last decade, absolutely nothing’s changed about the crew members’ dedication – no matter if they’re shaping or shredding. Check out the Snowboard edit video of last week’s shred fest (below). You’ll find further information via the Website, Facebook and www.skigastein.com.

Celebrating 10 Years of Snowpark Gastein - Setup Checkout with the Crew (by QParks)

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