Arc’teryx has been offering clinics in Europe for a few years now and this time they combined it with a Natural Selection qualifier. We sent contributing photographer Jonas Gasser over the border to check it out. He came back with some big news about one of our local riders, some new outerwear, a mild hangover, and this report…
If the name doesn’t make it clear, the Arc’teryx Academy is an event where freeriders, ski tourers, and everyone who feels at home in the mountains can learn from the best. Experienced pros take civilians up the mountain and share their skills, tricks, and creative philosophies in so-called “clinics”. It’s a great opportunity get some education in nature while on your board.
To start off the weekend, I had an avalanche safety clinic with two local guides. Even though I already had one at the start of the season, it’s always good to get some practice and spend time with experts in the field. We checked out the latest tech, ran through search strategies, and dialed in our probing and shoveling skills. It was a solid reality check to make sure that we keep it safe while shooting for the magazine this season.
As soon as I got the chance, I snuck out of class to check out the RnD event that Robin van Gyn was hosting. Five European riders had been selected to compete and the Swiss connection was strong: Léa Klaue lives in Sion, Celia Petrig lives in Laax, Laura Hebbel Boutang lives in Villars, Celina Weber and Tiphanie Perrotin live in Verbier.
The prize for doing well was an all expenses paid trip to Canada, where the winner will compete in the next RnD event. If they do well there, they get a ticket to the Natural Selection this year. It’s a huge opportunity and all of the girls killed it, but after two days of riding with Robin, it was Celia who secured the spot.
The next day I joined Severin van der Meer for a clinic entitled, “Interpret Nature Through Your Own Perception”. I really liked his latest movie, “Every Island Has a Name” so I was excited to do some riding with him. Despite the challenging snow conditions, we found some pow and side hits. To set the tone, Sevi even put together a 45 minute soundtrack from the English artist Ivy. We jammed through the mountains until Sevi had to leave St. Anton to catch a plane to California, where he’ll participate in a Natural Selection Duel against Brandon Davis.
What would a perfect weekend be without a proper party? After the last clinic we went straight to après-ski which flowed into the “Bird Party”. DJs from the the Arc’teryx team kept us entertained and a mix of pros, participants and locals jammed until 3 a.m. to finish the event on a high note.
Thanks to the crew from Arc’teryx for having me! And thanks to the other talented photographers (Perly, Matt Georges, Henrieke Ibing, Felix Pirker and Matteo Challe) for contributing photos to this story. Be sure to sign up next year if you want to experience the Arc’teryx Academy for yourself.