Sunshine, warmth, powder, and evening wildness.

The second Freeride Fest in Hochfügen, themed around the '80s, was a resounding success thanks to beautiful weather, excellent snow conditions, and the admirable enthusiasm of participants in sourcing their outfits.

So, what characterized the '80s? Stretchy ski pants and colorful combos, skis without a radius, and probably some relaxed morals (though we may have just imagined that). In any case, the evening parties were full of antics from the “Hříšňák” (Sinful) crowd, dancing on tables, and revelry until dawn. Aside from one disco ball that shattered, nothing was broken, and no fights broke out. So, a pretty favorable score!

Of course, the main focus was the on-slope program, which was packed with workshops and ski and splitboard testing. Participants could delve into avalanche issues, try their hand at freeriding, ski touring, or freestyle skiing and snowboarding, or even taste the unjustly forgotten discipline of ballet on skis.

The freeride competition took place again this year, with a single condition for the men: they could only compete on long, straight skis. They really rose to the challenge, and it was incredible to see some of the tricks they managed to pull off. For the women, the focus was on aesthetic appeal and perfecting the '80s style down to the finest detail. It was truly a feast for the eyes, and many nostalgia-filled spectators had to wipe away a tear at the sight. Those fitted outfits certainly had their charm.

As for the main star of Freeride Fest? Rudi Garmischt, the central character from the movie *Hot Dog: The Movie*, was a huge inspiration for this year’s edition and could be spotted among many participants. So, we’re not exactly sure who the real Rudi was, but we believe he enjoyed the festival in his own unique way…

The whole event wouldn’t have been possible without the generous support of our partners – Tipsport, Peter Brett, and Jägermeister. Thank you!

And our immense gratitude also goes to the ski brands that were available for testing at the festival – Blossom Skis from Skicentrum Eden, Black Crows, Line, Forest Skis, Bear Skis – and the splitboards from Snowboard Zezula. Thanks!