The Audi Nines is one of the most visually spectacular and progressive events in the European freestyle snowsports calendar. Nobody is doing it bigger, better or more creatively and we can’t get enough of it at The Ski Club.
2019 marks the 11th year of this event series which provides a platform for freestyle athletes to pull out show-stopping tricks in parks engineered to produce mind-blowing results. The word park doesn’t really do the space justice though… The Audi Nines is more like a theme park… with roller coaster loops, enormous launchpads and even wall rides – as if somebody gave a child a pencil to draw a fantasy snowsports obstacle course and then built it. I’m sure the architects and engineers at Shneestern might not appreciate that analogy, but it’s a compliment! The event took place in Sölden and Obergurgl-Hochgurgl this year, consisting of one week of pure park fun leading up to two public days: a night shoot on the April 24 and a final showdown at contest day on April 27.
Audi Nines Creator Nico Zacek said:
“The Audi Nines is a week of bringing together athletes, filmers and photographers to progress action sports. I think the most special thing about the event is that we try to create the best setup on planet Earth. It has big features, safe features and creative features. No one else in the world is putting as much effort into their setups as we are.”
Building on the success of last year’s Audi Nines debut in Sölden, for the first time the event took place simultaneously in not one but two different resort locations, expanding into Obergurgl-Hochgurgl with a park built especially for women. After reviewing athlete feedback from last year’s event, there was a resounding call to once again create a unique micro-cosmos for females during the weeklong film and photo sessions, providing the right setting to maximise their own progression. This collaborative philosophy is why The Audi Nines was elated to announce dual locations for this event, specifically tailoring the needs and feedback of the athletes. Obergurgl-Hochgurgl hosted a ladies takeover where female riders, female photographers and, for the first time in event history, a team of female shapers gathered for an exclusive week-long progression session.
Obergurgl is a favourite resort among Ski Club Members, hosting popular Freshtracks holidays and our Leader service.