Interview with Ralf `Ralle`Heeb from QPark at LENZERHEIDE ROTHORN

Short designer history and which features do you still ride in your park?

A good friend of mine introduced me to the park shaper’s bizz. But it has always been my desire to work in the snow and in the freestyle section. Since I grew up with snow and I celebrate my tenth snowboard season by now I gained adequate positive as well as negative experiences. I have never lost respect for the mountains, because I love both too much.
I try to make the best out of every day even if it’s not going that well in the park. I am always ready and quite on fire in every area.

Short park history

As we had some problems last year with the park supervision, we were cooperating with Qparks last winter for the first time. They´ve build up a perfectyl maintained park on a new location which was a total different thing for the whole region. Now we´ve made our first relevant experiences. This project is definetly upradable for the future and we will be able to match with the other big parks in Europe within 2 or 3 years time.    

Park sponsors

tba: Maybe we get a deal with forum and specialblend...Hopefully we will be supported by our local snowboardshop PEAK as well

Shapers crew? (number, hours per week)

1 Parkdesigner, 1 assistent, 1 Headsaper - 30 hours per week, 3 Shaper for 15 hours per week plus some locals,

Park cat hours per season?

approx 500 hours

Park philosophy?

Every obstacle being opend to cruise will be in top shape. Everybody should be able to get along and to have fun. Everybody should be satisfied both the shapers, the catdrivers and our park guests.

Positition of the park

relatively flat location with some steep parts and transfers
No earht forms yet

Percentage of park areas:

Pro: 0% Public: 45% Beginners: 55%

The importance of a pro area?

Our park concept is focused on the demands of the kids. The teenagers and the “regular guests”. A park where everybody has fun and doesn’t need to fear for his health! But the next years there will be bigger elements in the park.

Local pro riders?

Manuela Pesco, Markus Keller, the guys from MMP and several European film and photo crews.

General park-news 0708:

getting bigger!
Enlargement of the Beginner- and the Publicpark

Events 0708:

Park Party, Sanaspansession, one or two contests/ events, …

Shape style of the Snow obstacles?

Rollers & fun boxes (beginner, public) and table kickers (public, pro)

New snow obstacles, lines or projects?

After having had initial difficulties last season with little natural snow there will definitely be an extension of the main and the jib park this year as well as every single obstacle will grow. In addition there will be a chill area.

Rails & Boxes sliding styles

metal and plastic slides on the boxes as well as double tube rails which are set i the ground with wide take offs. 6m straight down box, 9m kinked box, rainbow, double kinked rail, rollercoaster rail, rainbow rail, high box 2m high x 6m long

Beginner rails and boxes

Mostly plastic slides, 2-3 pieces of metal.  Digged in the snow and with small wide take offs or direct slide ons. 6m up-downbox, 6m rainbowbox, 4m straightrail, 3m straightrail, 4m jibbox (1,5m wide), mailbox 3m, kinkedrail 2,5m.

Any modifications planned within the season?

The park will be changing or growing within the season. Most of the lines will be enlarged, and there will be some modifications for the events, shootings or after heavy snowfalls.

Why do you have/don’t have a halfpipe / superpipe (pipecutter brand)?

we don´t have a pipe
We focus on a fab slopestyle with different lines and on the jib-park which will be modified this season and gets bigger from year to year

Your freestyle park vision?

Many jumps, all kinds of kickers various jib attractions. Full house all the time and many laughing faces going nuts all day!

Top nationalities

CH, GER, ITA - we have a good vibe and everyone finds his/her place in the park

reestyle possibilities in the backcountry?

oh yeah - many, many