Kyrgyz Republic’s Ski Instructors Compete in Swiss Snow Happening 2024 for the First Time

From April 8 to April 12, 2024, the Association of Alpine Ski and Snowboard Instructors of the Kyrgyz Republic (AILS) participated for the first time in the Swiss Snow Happening 2024, held in Switzerland. This renowned annual event, established in 2002, assembles Swiss and international winter sports instructors to showcase their skills and compete in various disciplines.

This year’s Swiss Snow Happening was hosted at the Arosa ski resort and featured over 70 teams from countries including Switzerland, Andorra, and others. The AILS team was invited by the event organizers after years of training under Swiss coaches. They arrived a week early to train with Swiss coach Werner Elmer, refining their skills in giant slalom, ski cross, demo, moguls, and freestyle.

More than 2,500 instructors participated, including the team from Kyrgyzstan, competing in events such as giant slalom, big air, telemark, ski cross, demo, moguls, and cross-country skiing. The Kyrgyz team’s participation was supported by Swiss ski schools in Arosa, Corvatsch, and Bivio, the Swiss project Sustainable Winter Tourism Development in Kyrgyzstan (WTK) of Helvetas, and the Department of Tourism under the Ministry of Economy and Commerce of the Kyrgyz Republic.

Kanat Myrzabek uulu, Chairman of AILS, highlighted the significance of this experience: “Our participation in the Swiss Snow Happening 2024 marks a memorable conclusion to our 2023–2024 winter season. It was an extraordinary opportunity that enriched our instructing skills and inspired us to host similar events in Kyrgyzstan. We are eager to advance winter sports and tourism at home, drawing on our Swiss experiences. We extend our deepest gratitude to all our partners, whose support made our involvement possible.”

The successful participation of Kyrgyz instructors at the Swiss Snow Happening 2024 represents a significant advancement for skiing and tourism in Kyrgyzstan, inspiring further development of the sport within the country.