Germany finally gets his superpipe!

the news

It is finally done. Germany will get again a superpipe for snowboarding. Just on the Nebelhorn resort (where already has been once a pipe) in Oberstdorf (Allgäu), snowcats and cannons are already on fire to build the new pipe. Thanks to the commitment of Red Bull, the Nebelhornbahn AG (local cablecar) and „Pipe Aid“, -an German initiative on Facebook- all of us succeeded together. The new pipe will be 100 meters long, 17 meters large and 5 meters high. Responsables say, it should be ready to drop around mid February already, but when it will be indeed open to public is still to be announced and depends on the working progress.

what is the story?

Well it is quite a good question, why a country like Germany wasn‘t able to have a pipe in the past 5 years. Back in 2005 when the legendary snowboard camp GAP 1328 was closed at Zugspitze resort, the pipe was gone as well. The reason was simple: Protecting the glacier. But even after several following discussions, it still was too difficult finding an alternative spot for a pipe without harming the glacier. After a couple of years rumours started making the round, saying that it would be possible to build a pipe for 2018‘s Olympic Winter Games (in Garmisch Partenkirchen), where Munich is candidating for. This pipe should have been destroyed afterwards again, spending huge money of several million Euro just for the event itself. The thought behind that last one, was more based on business thoughts than on sportive reasons, due to the fact that in 2010‘s Olympic Winter Games, the halfpipe competition was the one pulling the highest quotes on TV.

the thought & first events

The idea is not only to pull new riders into the walls, but also the old („classic“) ones, as David Benedek, Gian Simmen, Xaver Hoffman, or Nicola Thost for example. In charge the new pipe on Nebelhorn will be no one less than Erich Bärtschi (CH), who also is in charge of the beast in Laax, where as we all know the Burton European Open take place. Being so, I think that we all agree that the new pipe is in pretty good hands then! Christophe Schmidt, who is part of the „Pipe Aid“ initiative, is stoked and really happy that the entire movement took effect that quickly and that in the end everything came out that positive for snowboarding. On March 26, is going to be the first big event including the new pipe: German Halfpipe Championships! For further info check up on the Pipe Aid page or follow us here, when something new is up!

source: pleasuremag

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