Staying fit and active in summer: Noel von Grünigen’s personal tips for Gstaad

Noel: After an exhausting competition season, I first give myself a few weeks at home to rest and relax. This is an important phase that allows me to recover both physically and mentally. Then, at the beginning of May, the more intensive part of the year begins: my summer training programme, which mainly consists of conditioning workouts. I do a lot of mountain biking and road cycling, usually about 1,200 km on the road bike and 400 km on the mountain bike. The initial breakdown is 80% endurance training and 20% strength training. This ratio changes over time up until autumn, which is when I start doing three lower-body strength training sessions, three upper-body and core strength training sessions, and two interval endurance training sessions per week. On the side, I also do recreational sports and coordinative exercises that help me improve my anticipation skills. Things like beach volleyball, floorball, badminton, tennis and squash are perfect for this, but I avoid playing football because I need to keep my shins intact. I also have mobility and stretching sessions, physiotherapy and deficit training in my programme. As a skier, summertime is the perfect opportunity for me to find variety in my training and stock up on motivation for the coming winter.

Noel: I can usually be found in places that aren’t packed with tourists. I love discovering new routes, mountains and trails. Two places I often go to are Hornberg/Horekessel and Rellerli/Huggeli, both of which offer breathtaking views of our picture-perfect landscape. 

Noel: A great cycling tip with a really fun descent is the route from the Wispile to Lauenensee. You start in Gstaad and take the Wispile cable car up to the top, from where you ride over the Chrinepass to Lauenensee. You then head along the left side of the valley to Lauenen and back to Gstaad via the hiking/cycling trail. This route is also wonderful for hiking. Another option is the cable car ride from Zweisimmen to the Rinderberg, from where you can hike to the Hornberg and then down to Schönried, take a break and wait for the train back to Zweisimmen. 

Noel: There are many beautiful places in our region. A sunset at the Horeflue or at Wake Up in the Horekessel is something special. Or, if you feel like bringing along some cervelat, the Lauenensee barbecue site is a lovely place to enjoy them. Then there’s the Col des Andérets, where you have magnificent views of Lake Arnen, and the Rüblihore, which offers great via ferrata routes for beginners and advanced climbers. Lac de Sanetsch is the perfect place to go for a dip and cool off, and equally worthwhile is a hike through the Rottal valley with a detour to the Geltenhütte hut. A couple of other highlights are a walk through the village of Saanen and a hike from Lauenenesee to the Iffigensee lake on the plateau.

Noel: After my time at school came to an end, I went on to complete a carpentry apprenticeship at Chaletbau Schletti AG in Zweisimmen. Working with my hands has always been fascinating to me, and as a carpenter, I was able to live out this passion in our region. The art of carpentry in the Saanenland area has a significant influence on the appearance of the villages and is what lends them their special charm, since building a chalet involves both rough work and detailed craftsmanship. The wide range of possibilities offered by wood just fascinates me. There is nothing more beautiful than living in wooden chalet that’s been designed with love.

Noel: After only achieving some my goals this season, my goals for the coming winter haven’t changed much at all. I’m once again aiming for top-30 rankings in the World Cup so I can establish myself among the world’s best. Another goal is to secure a permanent place in the Europa Cup. Due to the high level of competition in Swiss ski racing, an additional place is of great importance for our country. My motto each day is to become better than I was the day before.

We would like to thank Noel von Grünigen very much for his time and for the inspiring interview. His passion for sport and the holiday destination of Gstaad is clearly evident, and his tips will be of great value to all visitors. We wish Noel von Grünigen plenty more success on the ski slopes and in his future sporting endeavours. We also hope that his enthusiasm and advice will inspire others to explore the beautiful nature and varied activities that Gstaad has to offer. Enjoy your summer in the holiday destination of Gstaad and be sure to check out Noel von Grünigen’s recommendations!