2023 SWATCH NINES: An adrenaline-fuelled week
After a week of exclusive film and photo shoots on a stunningly creative setup, the 2023 Swatch Nines presented by Falken wrapped up on Saturday, the 22nd of April, with a ski and snowboard Big Air contest.
Thousands of spectators flocked to the slopes of the Schilthorn-Piz Gloria in Switzerland’s Bernese Alps to watch as the invited riders took to the one-of-a-kind snowpark setup one final time in a friendly battle for the Big Air titles.
Austrian Clemens Millauer captured the win in the men’s snowboard contest, while Norwegian Johanne Killi claimed the top spot among the ski women. Canadians Max Moffatt and Emeraude Maheux won the men’s ski and women’s snowboard categories.
An unconventional action-sports event series that puts the focus on creativity and progression, Swatch Nines creates a unique space for athletes showcase their skills in a relaxed atmosphere.
HERE ARE THE HIGHLIGHTS AT A GLANCE:
- The Big Air contest was held in an informal “jam session” format. Each athlete needed to land both a technical trick and a style trick, which were then combined for a final score.
- The Swatch Nines brought together a diverse group of athletes from across the action-sports spectrum—skiers, snowboarders, skateboarders and bikers. The event was attended by over 60 athletes from 14 countries.
- The 2023 setup featured an inventive big air jump with multiple takeoffs at different levels—a design never seen before in snowsports. The venue also included a three-sided transition feature including snow domes, tunnels, rails and a full wooden skate bowl for skateboarders and BMXers to session alongside the skiers and snowboarders.
- The event location at the Schilthorn-Piz Gloria ski resort provided jaw-dropping views of the surrounding Bernese Alps, including a panoramic view of the iconic Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau. The location was immortalized in the 1969 James Bond movie “On Her Majesty’s Secret Service,” where the Piz Gloria mountain station served as the hideout for Bond’s nemesis Blofeld.
FULL CONTEST RESULTS:
| FREESKI WOMEN | STYLE | TECH |
| 1. Johanne Killi (NOR) | 540 Lead Blunt | Switch Double Cork 1080 Japan |
| 2. Sandra Eie (NOR) | 360 Blunt | Double Cork 1260 Mute |
| 3. Mathilde Gremaud (SUI) | 360 In and Out Grab | Double Cork 1080 Safety |
Johanne Killi (NOR, Women’s Ski Big Air Winner)
“It was so much fun to ride here with all the snowboarders and freeskiers the whole week. Of course, I felt a little bit of pressure since it was a competition today. I threw down a switch double 1080, which is my biggest trick, and did some stylish tricks as well. I love the Nines family. It’s so special at the Nines and there’s so much space for creativity.”
| FREESKI MEN | STYLE | TECH |
| 1. Max Moffatt (CAN) | Cork 360 Blunt Bringback | Double Cork 1440 Cuban |
| 2. Kim Gubser (SUI) | Cork 540 Reverse Mute to Nose | Switch Double Cork 900 Bringback Reverse Mute |
| 3. Fabi Bösch (SUI) | Rodeo 720 Double Nose | Double Cork 1620 Blunt to Blunt |
Max Moffatt (CAN, Men’s Ski Big Air Winner)
“Swatch Nines always provides a really fun environment. It’s pretty hard to replicate the atmosphere that they create here. It’s kind of being with a bunch of your best friends having fun and doing what they want. It’s just pure freedom, pure expression and no rules. That’s what makes it the best.”
| SNOWBOARD WOMEN | STYLE | TECH |
| 1. Emeraude Maheux (CAN) | Switch Back 540 Indy | Switch Back 900 Weddle |
| 2. Anna Gasser (AUT) | Switch Back 540 Japan | Back 720 Indy |
| 3. Esenya Stepanova (RUS) | Front 360 Indy | Back 720 Weddle |
Emeraude Maheux (CAN, Women’s Snowboard Big Air Winner)
“It was the first time I got invited to Swatch Nines and I am so grateful that I won the contest. I always dreamed of riding with these people that I’ve been watching for years. The setup is massive, it was the biggest jump I’ve ever hit in my life. It took me a while to get confident, but I was watching Anna Gasser and all the other riders, which really helped me to overcome my fear and just go for it!”
| SNOWBOARD MEN | STYLE | TECH |
| 1. Clemens Millauer (AUT) | Wildcat 180 Pullback | Back 1620 Nose |
| 2. Moritz Boll (SUI) | Back Cork 360 Japan | Back 1440 Japan |
| 3. Leon Vockensperger (GER) | Switch Back 540 Melon to Indy | Back Triple 1440 |
Clemens Millauer (AUT, Men’s Snowboard Big Air Winner)
“The whole week at the Swatch Nines was a complete success. It was a challenge weather-wise; we had everything from snow, wind and sun. Ending the week with a contest that I won is great of course, and makes me extremely happy. The location here on the Schilthorn is just perfect.”
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