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> News > Kitzsteinhorn: World stars in the Superpipe!

snowboarding News

Kitzsteinhorn: World stars in the Superpipe!

Pictured: Yūto Totsuka (JPN) was one of the Pros that took part in The Superpipe Training Weeks at the Kitzsteinhorn, Kaprun, Austria in November 2021. Image credit: / © Kitzsteinhorn

30 November 2021

The Superpipe Training Weeks at the Kitzsteinhorn, Kaprun, Austria, are over – and the international halfpipe stars were able to improve their runs for the Olympic season in perfect conditions throughout November! Many of the world’s best freeskiers and snowboarders from Europe, Asia, Oceania and North America took advantage of the exclusive training opportunity to get in shape for the first World Cups of the season and the season highlight, the 2022 Winter Olympics. Now that the Training Weeks are over, the Kitzsteinhorn Superpipe will open to everyone on December 4, 2021, complementing the existing slopestyle offerings at the Glacier Park.

Top conditions in Superpipe and Glacier Park • Superpipe open for all riders from December 4, 2021

Olympic champions in the Superpipe

In the Superpipe at the Kitzsteinhorn, the international halfpipe top stars on snowboard and ski found excellent conditions to prepare for the winter season. Teams from 16 nations worldwide met during the four training weeks at the Kitzsteinhorn to rehearse their tricks in the perfectly shaped superpipe. On average, around 60 athletes were on site each week. Alli Zehetner, who also built the halfpipe at the 2018 Winter Olympics and will be shaping the facility in Beijing, worked together with the Kitzsteinhorn’s experienced snowpark crew to set up a 150-meter-long, 6.5-meter-high halfpipe that allows for safe and high jumps.

The offer of the Superpipe Training Weeks did not only include the pipe, but also a shuttle service to allow the athletes as many runs per day as possible, as well as a bagjump on which they could rehearse new tricks. In addition, there was a professional photo service for all teams.

Among the male snowboarders at the Superpipe Training Weeks were all halfpipe medalists of the 2018 Winter Olympics: Shaun White (USA), Ayumu Hirano (JPN), and Scotty James (AUS). They were joined by stars such as reigning halfpipe world champion Yūto Totsuka (JPN) or 2021 World Championship bronze medalist Jan Scherrer (SUI). Female snowboarders included, for example, 2021 Vice World Champion Maddie Mastro (USA), 2018 Winter Olympics silver medalist Liu Jiayu (CHN), two-time World Champion Cai Xuetong (CHN), 2017 Vice World Champion Haruna Matsumoto (JPN) and two-time Vice World Champion Queralt Castellet (ESP).

Among the male freeskiers were double Olympic champion David Wise (USA), Alex Ferreira (USA) and Nico Porteous (NZL), the top three in the halfpipe competition at the 2018 Winter Games, plus 2014 Olympic silver medalist in slopestyle Gus Kenworthy (USA). Female freeskiers at Superpipe Training Weeks included Olympic champion Cassie Sharpe (CAN), 2018 Olympic bronze medalist Brita Sigourney (USA) and 2021 World Championship bronze medalist Zoe Atkin (GBR).

Weather permitting, the Superpipe will now open for everyone from December 4, 2021, after a few days of rebuilding. However, it will remain closed during periods of bad weather.

Glacier Park: Action in the skate park made of snow!

Since October and until the end of December, freeskiers and snowboarders can have fun on a creative set-up at the Glacier Park. The Easy Kicker Line, Medium Kicker Line and Jib Lines on the Kitzsteinhorn glacier plateau are ideal for improving your skills or just having fun. Head shaper Wolfgang Hilberger and his experienced team guarantee for the world-class quality of the “skate park made of snow”, and they are already planning the next snow park: Easy Park is anticipated to open in December. The Central Park is expected to follow in January, the South Central Park in February 2022 – subject to change.

Keep each other safe throughout the winter!

Currently, the “2G rule” (either vaccinated or recovered from COVID-19) applies to the use of the cable cars and lifts at the Kitzsteinhorn. FFP2 masks are mandatory in cable cars, lifts and in enclosed spaces. All current safety and hygiene measures concerning COVID-19 can be found at: www.kitzsteinhorn.at/en/service/latest/news-homepage/hygiene-safety

FACT BOX: KITZSTEINHORN PARK & PIPE – FREERIDE – SKI TOURING – SPLITBOARDING

Glacier Ski Resort Kitzsteinhorn, Family Mountain Maiskogel & Lechnerberg

• Altitude 768 – 3,029 m above sea level

• Snow reliability from October to May

• 23 modern cable cars and lifts

• 61 kilometres of pistes

Snowpark Kitzsteinhorn

• Main partners Volcom and Nitro Snowboards

• 4 world-class snow parks with 100% snow reliability due to their altitude between 2,500 and 2,900 m above sea-level

Glacier Park

• Altitude: 2,900 m

• Open: October to January

• For beginners and advanced riders

• Set-up: 4 Lines (Easy Line, Medium Kicker Line, Jib Lines)

Easy Park

• Altitude: 2,600 m

• Open: presumably December to beginning of May

• For beginners and advanced riders

• Set-up: 3 Lines (Easy Line, Upper Park Line, Jib Line)

Central Park

• Altitude: 2,500 m

• Open: presumably January to beginning of May

• For advanced riders and pros

• Set-up: 2 Lines (Medium Line, Pro Line)

South Central Park

• Altitude: 2,670 m

• Open: presumably February to beginning of May

• For beginners and advanced riders

• Set-up: 1 Jib Line (enables you to do one continuous run to Easy Park and Central Park with

up to 20 obstacles)

Superpipe • Altitude: 2,600 m

• Open: December to beginning of May

• Dimensions: length 150m, height 6.5m

Maisi Park

• Altitude: 1,175 m

• Open: presumably December to March

• Set-up: 1 rail line and 1 fun line

Team

• Team Leader Kitzsteinhorn Snowpark: Berni Steiner

• Park Designer/Head Shaper: Wolfgang Hilberger

• Pipe Master: Alli Zehetner

• Shape Crew: 10 shapers from 6 nations

Highlights

Jan. 10–14, 2022 Burton Riglet Tour

Jan. 16, 2022 Intersport Skitag

Mar. 26, 2022 X OVER RIDE 2022

Mar. 28–Apr. 01, 2022 World Rookie Snowboard Finals

Apr. 30 & May 01, 2022 Gletscher Frühlingsfest

Know-how

• 1990: First Funpark, mainly for snowboarders

• 1994: First ever Snowboard World Cup Race at Kitzsteinhorn

• Continuous development of the funpark in the following years

• 2006: Opening of Glacier Park, Easy Park & Central Park – Kitzsteinhorn provides one of the largest freestyle centres in the Alps!

• 2008, 2009: Roxy Chicken Jam, contest with the world’s best female snowboarders

• 2011: Opening of the Superpipe

• 2012, 2013, 2014: Austrian Freeski Open, international freeski contest

• 2017: opening of the Eagle Line – fun slope for freestyle beginners

• 2017–2022: World Rookie Tour Finals: Slopestyle and Superpipe tour finals with the world’s best snowboarders under 18

• 2017, 2018, 2019, 2021: Superpipe Training Weeks for international pro teams; in 2017, future 2018 Olympic champions in freestyle ski and snowboard practiced at Kitzsteinhorn

• 2018: Kitzsteinhorn Pipe Master Alli Zehetner builds Olympic superpipe at Pyeongchang

• 2019: Opening of the South Central Park

• 2019: Opening Maisi Park and direct K-ONNECTION from Kaprun to Kitzsteinhorn

Freeride XXL

• 5 freeride routes

• Freeride Infobase

• Freeride Info Points

• Freeride Monday: Freeride Workshops for beginners and advanced riders

Ski touring & Splitboarding

• Ski touring routes “Schneekönigin” and “Eisbrecher”

• Guided ski tour with mountain guides to Tristkogel, 2,642m

Further highlights at Kitzsteinhorn in the winter of 2021/22

• 3K K-onnection: the most modern cable car in the world and heart of the connection

Kaprun-Maiskogel-Kitzsteinhorn, ski-in-ski-out from Kaprun city centre to the glacier and back

Responsibility

• Snow in winter, electricity in summer: Combined pumping station in winter and power plant in summer

• First cable car company in Austria with ISO certificates 9001 (quality management),

14001 (environmental management) and 50001 (energy management) for all divisions

• Operation of all cable cars and lifts with 100% eco-friendly electricity from renewable energy sources

• Open Air Lab Kitzsteinhorn: Location of interdisciplinary research projects

• Snow depots for superpipe and snow parks

Follow Kitzsteinhorn online on their website, Facebook page, Instagram or YouTube channel. Plus check out Kitzsteinhorn's Park & Pipe dedicated channels: website, Facebook & Instagram.