Now that the dust has settled from the Laax Open, we had a chance to look back at what impressed us the most in the small world of Swiss snowboarding. There was some new talent and a few comebacks from the old heads. There were wild nights and loose park laps. And then there was 18 year old Jonas Hasler – the only rider killing it in both slopestyle and pipe. Contributing photographer Jonas Gasser caught up with him to see how he manages it all…
You had an amazing run in the slope finals and took home fifth place. How did it feel to put down a run like that in front of the home crowd?
It was one of the best days on the mountain in a long time – perfect weather, no clouds and no wind. And then to be riding at home in Laax, where I grew up was just magical, especially as the only Swiss rider in the slopestyle final. Being able to land both of my runs made it all perfect.
I guess Laax is more than just your training spot. How would you describe your relationship with your home resort?
I can’t really remember the first time I was on skis, but my first time on a snowboard was definitely in Laax. I basically grew up here and quickly fell in love with snowboarding. My family eventually bought an apartment here, and that’s how everything developed. For me, Laax is simply home.
Your family seems to play a big role in your snowboarding career. Were they there to cheer you on?
Yes, my whole family was there – my parents, my sister, and even her boyfriend, who is now my personal cameraman. However, my sister can’t watch when I ride. She gets really nervous and prefers to look away. But it was just great to have everyone around me. It gives me a lot of energy.
Your father is a snowboarder too. Did he teach you tricks? Who has the better Backside Air?
(laughs) I definitely learned from him. But I think I can go a bit higher than he did back back in the day. But we also have much better pipes these days.
What was it like growing up in a family so focused on snowboarding?
Actually, my parents didn’t want us to snowboard at first. They were more into beach vacations and relaxing holidays. But once they took us to Laax, my sister and I were hooked. We only wanted to be in the mountains.
Let’s get back to your run… Are you happy with it?
95% yes. There are always little things that could be improved, but I’m super happy with how it went. The course in Laax is long and technically demanding – it requires almost a full minute of hyper-focus. You can’t afford any mistakes, or you lose speed. But I was able to land my runs cleanly.
The pipe is a different story and unfortunately I finished in 8th and just missed the final. Part of the problem was that I was unlucky with the heats since they weren’t very balanced in terms of how the best riders were split up. I would have finished 5th with my score in heat 1. But overall I’m very, very happy with my riding.
Are there advantages to riding both pipe and slopestyle?
It’s definitely exhausting, but I wouldn’t want to do it any other way. And there are definitely some small advantages when you ride the two. Transition features are easier for me, like the quarterpipe that we had at the end of this year’s course.
Pat Burgener switched between disciplines at your age. Do you see the possibility of switching from Pipe to Slopestyle, or do you plan to continue in both?
Many people say I should just focus on one instead of doing both. But I have to follow my own path, as I absolutely love both. In the pipe, the level is very consistent – the top 5 are almost always the same, and they perform at an extremely high level. In Slopestyle, it’s a bit more variable because the courses are always different. That makes it exciting, but also challenging. I can see myself doing well in both.
What’s your outlook for the Olympics?
Right now, I’ve already qualified for the World Championships, and we’ll see how things go after that. As long as I stay injury-free, I think it’s possible. It requires a lot of planning and energy, but I’m determined to compete in both at the Olympics. It would be a dream come true.
But It doesn’t really matter to me that much if it works out, because it’s not about what I ride. For me, it’s more about having fun and always riding to the best of my ability and potential.
So competing is what you enjoy the most?
Riding early in the morning on fresh snow in Laax and making laps in the trees – that’s just pure fun for me. I really enjoy riding in powder and it makes me incredibly happy. Unfortunately, it has lost a bit of the priority in recent years, which I really regret. I’d love to ride more powder and film it, but it’s not that easy right now as the focus is on my competitive career. But I’m sure I’ll make up for it when I finish competing.
Have you set some goals for yourself?
It’s tough to say. I take things day by day. I’m a spontaneous person. But of course, the home World Championship in 2025 here in Switzerland, in Corvatsch, is a big goal and a major event for all of us. After that, there’s the Olympics of course. Milan feels almost like home compared to the past years in China or Korea. Those are the biggest goals. But other than that, it’s just about getting better every day. That’s my main goal — to give my best and, most importantly, not lose the fun in it, which is very important to me.
How do you make sure that you don’t lose the fun?
For me, the feeling of flying is indescribable, and it always makes me incredibly happy. That’s when I know I’m having fun. I don’t really worry about losing that joy because it’s always there when I’m on my board.
Thanks for your time Jonas. Good luck with the rest of your season!
