Michael’s summer season

It is late in the evening when this 17-year-old guy arrives at the flat and goes to sit with the other riders from the Swiss snowboard team. He seems pretty fluent in English and talks about his conquests… interesting overview! His sense of humour is much appreciated and his self-confidence can belie his age.

In the morning, Michael claims to be a « morning human being » which allows him to skip the early workout. He takes a big heavy breakfast and gets dressed. And here’s the tricky bit: making sure the pants and jacket look cool enough! « Typical kids » says Sina.

Once at the Gondola station, Micki offers to carry some of the shooting equipment up to the glacier. « Sweet kid » I thought. But once we arrive at the park that « kid » will show you better. That dude knows what he is doing on the snow. After a couple of runs in the pipe he pushes the limits pretty high.

However, summer snowboarding can be pretty dangerous. Contrary to what is commonly thought, there is no nice soft snow during our warm season. The riders have to drive up to the glacier where the slopes are built into the ice. Back on the snow after the spring break, the athletes tend to become a little over-motivated when hitting the kicker. And that’s when most accidents happen… Michael experienced that during the last two seasons: one broken upper arm, wrist and vertebral body. These injuries can keep you off the slope for a long time! This year he prefers to take it easy and luckily nothing has happened…

That Rad kid is an example of style and one hell of a rider. He loves what he does, he is passionate and will do anything to become the killer athlete he already is.
Keep doing what you are doing Micki!

Love,
Nicole Antognini

Pictures: Nicole Antognini
Location: Saas Fee, Switzerland
Thanks to: Saas Fee, Nitro, Quiksilver