Fun on Snow & Ice at the Wild Girls event 2008!
Following the theme of ‘ICE’ the 9th Wild Girls on Snow event raised CHF 70,000 for the two nominated children’s charities – Right to Play and Katie’s Ski Tracks. The successful auction, conducted with indefatigable energy by Ralph Krueger, raised CHF 55,000.– with the remainder coming from donations, the Tombola at the ‘Klosters on Ice’ evening and sponsorship. Wild Girls on Snow 2008 was sponsored by Ivo Romer and fidustra in association with RBS Coutts, Klosters Tourism, Snowlife, Davos Klosters Mountains and Swiss International Airlines.
The event opened on the Sunday evening with a stylish ‘Welcome Reception’, hosted by Stephan and Eva Diethelm, at the Hotel Vereina followed by a delicious dinner at the Höhwald Restaurant and Urs and Doris Zimmermann ensured we all enjoyed a memorable evening! Entertainment was provided by the talented magician Paul Lytton who has loyally supported the event over the last three years and his magic never fails to amaze all his ‘Wild Girls’ fans!
On Monday all the teams assembled at the Hotel Alpina to meet their Klosters ‘Local’ who was to guide them for the day on the Parsenn. Each team had the word ‘ICE’ in their name and dressed accordingly with some gregarious outfits for the days skiing and challenges on the mountain…. It must have been an interesting spectacle for any bystander! The teams met up at the Igloo–Dorf before heading down to the Totalp Bar and the big challenge of the day. Each team was given a huge 5 mtr square pile of snow and some shovels and other tools and had a couple of hours to create a snow sculpture around their team name. The result was the most spectacular assortment of snow sculptures and I congratulate every one who took part – they worked so hard and were enormously creative with their team labours and designs.
No sooner were the Snow sculptures finished then it was down to Klosters (via Gaudy’s Graströchni) and Ice Hockey organised by Ralph Krueger, renowned coach of the Swiss National Ice Hockey team. Again, the spirit of the girls was admirable as they struggled to put on all the kit – let alone wobble off onto the ice accompanied by up and coming junior talent from HC Prättigau and girls from the Swiss National Ladies Ice Hockey team! Naturally with Ralph in charge a memorable and great time was had by all. For those who preferred a more sedate ice experience there was an Eisstock competition before the overall prize giving and then dinner in the Sportzentrum. Jos and Franzi Keurentjes coped magnificently with the ever increasing numbers for dinner as people came in to shelter from the bitter weather conditions. The finale to the evening was a special ‘Klosters on Ice’ show opened by young Klosters children before spectacular performances from former World Champion Denise Bielmann and Junior Swiss Champion Tomi Pulkinnen and up and coming young stars including Lea and Larissa Kalisch, Enrikö Vasas, Giulia Isceri and a surprise guest Amy Winehouse (alias Alex Broggi) whose polished performance was the result of many hours of practise on the ice! Elvis (Pete Sands is Elvis) ended the show in fine style though due to the bad weather his repertoire on ice was cut short.
The party continued late at the Casa and the next morning there were rather a lot of bleary eyes but nevertheless everyone headed up the mountain with their ski racer for the ‘Wild Girls on Snow GS Challenge’ on the Furka. Visibility was not good but the spirit of the Wild Girls is undaunted by such facts and everyone braved the daunting race piste with great courage – luckily all was forgotten by the time the teams were safely seated in the Parsennhütte being served a delicious lunch and reviving liquid refreshment! Urs and Maria Schmidt are so supportive of the event and amazing with their flexibility of lunch in or out depending on the weather! The event ended that evening in great style with a ‘Silver’ themed dinner at the Silvretta Parkhotel. Christian and Kristina and Ulrike Erpenbeck contribute enormously to the event with not only a delicious dinner but their decorations in the dining room really set the scene and atmosphere for the all important final evening. After dinner and the prize giving there was the auction expertly conducted by Ralph Krueger and among the many items generously donated was a fabulous black silk evening bag covered in Swarovski crystals from the Georgio Armani collection, an EBEL Brasilia watch, dinner for 4 at Mosimanns Private Dining Club and skiing with Bruno Kernen. The grand finale to the evening was a fantastic performance by the FABBA Girls which got everyone up and dancing before ending the night (rather early morning!) once again at the Casa.
I would like to say a huge thank you to everyone who contributed and supported Wild Girls on Snow 2008 and in particular: Ivo Romer and Fidustra, the main sponsor of Wild Girls on Snow in association with RBS Coutts, Klosters Tourism, Snowlife, Davos Klosters Mountains, Swiss International Airlines, Key Investment,Räto and Verena Conzett & Birgit, Lutz, Mio & team at Hotel Alpina, Urs and Doris Zimmermann & Höhwald Restaurant, Jos and Franzi Keurentjes & team at Restaurant Sportzentrum, Al and Reneé Thöny & The Rustico Hotel, Stephen and Eva Diethelm & Ivan and team at Hotel Vereina, Christian and Ulrike Erpenbeck & team at Silvretta Parkhotel, Alex Broggi and Casa Antica, everyone at the Totalp Bar, Urs and Maria Schmidt & the Parsennhütte, Gaudy’s Graströchni and Igloo-Dorf.
Sponsors of the Ice Hockey teams: Rätia Energie, Kunz AG, Pacific Arbour, RBS Coutts, Fidustra and Innenausbau and to the captains and all those who played ice hockey including the girls from the Swiss National Ladies Ice Hockey team. A big thank you to Flury Thony, Kobi, Romeo, Wally & Rosemary at the Ice Rink, Paul Hobi & HC Prättigau, Susie Kramelhofer, Irene Ruetz, Patricia Straub and Sarah Schmid.
Theo Leiser and his helpers for Eisstock, Pascal Wilhelm and Michi Wauders for running the bar and Andi Meier, Kristina Erpenbeck and Charlie Heisse Maroni. The generous sponsors of the prizes at the Sportzentrum: ‘chocolate flowers’ – Angelika Baumann and Come In! Bäckerei Hitz and Andreas and Susi Maissen for the Ice Hockey and Eisstock prizes. The following kindly gave prizes for the tombola: Bijouterie Schauerte, Buch & Bild, Beauty Center Alpina Irène Thuler, Pine Cone, Denner, Leontina Maissen, Gody’s Wine Shop, Déjà Vu, Wasche Mode Linard, Wohn Ambience, Berchtold Elektro, Duty Boardsport, Andrist Sport, Rössli Antquitäten, Elektro Engler, Coop, Dropa Ambauen and Bardill Sport.
To all those who generously donated prizes for the auction: Family Maissen, Three’s a Crowd, Claire Kizcink, Mr and Mrs Saager, Roger Federer, Räto and Verena Conzett, Giorgio Armani, Benno Meisser, Switzerland Travel, Anton Mosimann, Dirk Wiedmann, Lasse Kjus, Robert Mondavi Wines, Helen Steinmann and Blue Jeans, Heirling Ski Boot Fitting in Davos, Bruno Kernen, Right to Play and Ralph Krueger.
A big thank you to Gotschna Sport, EstÄ?e Lauder, Central Garage, Phil Benesch, Echo vom Horä, Marcel Kunert, Peter Alisch, Stefan Flury (and to Marco Flütsch for building the snow piles) from Davos Klosters Mountains, Gemeinde Klosters, Laine Alban, Christian Casper, Swiss Ski & Snowboard School Saas, Jakob Jägli and Foto Schmelz, David Henderson, Sandra Blaser, Gotschna Taxis for the transfers, the wonderful Mitzi Knoflach, Brien Donnellon, Marc Bruegger the Ice Sculptor, Marc Schlittler and Alain Mehmann, all the locals, celebrities and ski racers who so kindly gave their time to take part,and an extra special big thank you to Ralph Krueger for all he does throughout the event for me – he is just the most amazing person! Finally thank you to everyone who generously gave a donation and to all the Wild Girls and Boys for being so generous and supportive and for taking part in such good spirit – see you next year for the Jubilee!
Clair Southwell
Postscript:
Alex Broggi, owner of the Casa Antica sadly died on 1st June 2008. Alex was a loyal supporter of Wild Girls on Snow and contributed enormously with his generosity, enthusiasm and friendship to the success of the event over the last nine years. Alex rose to the challenge of skating (in disguise) as a fun spoof at the ‘Klosters on Ice’ evening and he spent many hours every week last winter training at the Klosters ice rink and then in the last weeks having lessons with top coach Irene Ruetz. He took the challenge very seriously, and courageously, as he could not afford to fall on his knees one of which had been operated on in recent years. Alex’s amazing act on ice as Amy Weinhouse was a highly polished performance that he pulled off with great style and finesse and for which he received a well deserving ovation from all present. Alex was such a part of Klosters and is very much missed.