<div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>A study in organic shapes</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;">While previous editions grabbed attention with “castles made of snow” and angular shapes, this year’s Nines setup embodies a more flowing, organic approach—in keeping with the event’s commitment to only build using natural, non-artificial snow. The 2022 setup is composed of three unique features:</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The “Perfect Jump”</strong> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">Riders are already raving about the dimensions of this big air jump. With a 24-meter gap to the sweet spot, it’s large enough for the biggest tricks, while three oversized bowls lend additional options and a unique appearance.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The SWATCH Downward Spiral</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;">With design inspiration from skateboarding as well as Swiss watchmaker SWATCH, this element presents a never-before-seen challenge in snowsports: a 7-meter-deep downward spiral with an exit through a tunnel.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;">“I was a bit stressed at first because I didn’t know if the SWATCH feature was going to work,” says SWATCH team rider Nico Vuignier (SUI, SKI), who helped design the feature. “I was really relieved when I saw that it was working and that the riders like it. I think the overall setup is way more creative than previous years because there are so many options, and less than 10% of them have even been tried yet. I think it will be quite exciting for the next couple of days.”</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>The Sphere</strong></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Last but not least, The Sphere is a mushroom-shaped monolith at the bottom of the course. Its 8-meter-high central tower and surrounding ring provide near-limitless transitions, gaps and rails for the riders of the Nines to explore.</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;">“At first I was pretty nervous, but once you start riding it, it’s really fun and super cruisy, says 15 year old Mia Brookes (GBR, SNB). “This is the first time i’ve ever seen a setup like this. It’s completely different from anything else I’ve ever done, and I think that’s what makes it so cool.”</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify;">“I came to The Nines in 2016, 2018 and now in 2022, so I’ve kind of gotten to see the course progress,” says Hailey Langland (USA, SNB). “It’s really cool to see the features that The Nines are bringing to everyone’s attention. This entire park feels kind of like an orchestra—every single feature plays into one another. It’s going to be really cool to see what everyone’s going to do on everything.”</div> <div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><strong>Public Day: 9th of April</strong> </div><div style="text-align: justify;">After two years without an onsite audience, The Nines are very excited to welcome the public back to the show. On the 9th of April, The Nines will conclude with an action-packed exhibition that’s free to watch for anyone who wants to make the trip up to the Plaine-Morte Glacier. See the attached schedule for more information on the Public Day. For tickets please visit and <a href="https://mycma.ltibooking.com/categories/dynamic-day-pass-1-to-15-day-in-crans-montana" target="_blank">book here</a>.</div>