Embedded: One Week Inside Winterclash
Long days, short nights, and hot tub frenzy: Join the crew behind this historical event for an intense week in Eindhoven.
Day #0 - Saturday 08/02
15h07 - A seven-hour bus ride isn’t that much, but it does offer just enough time to reflect on the past twenty years of Winterclash history. Though I missed the first two editions, I have been to every single event ever since. Thus this anniversary happens to be my 18th Winterclash, and through all those, I have found myself involved in lots of different ways and capacities.
For several years now, I have been part of the little crew coming in early to help with the preparations of the event itself: mainly building, branding, painting, among many other tasks, small and big, necessary to welcome 1500+ guests in Eindhoven, all under the roof of Area 51 skatepark for three days of celebrating our shared blade culture and community.
So if you’re curious about what actually goes on behind the curtain in the days before, during, and after the event, jump into the latest offering of our Embedded series!
Day #1 - Sunday 09/02
09h43 - Sitting at the kitchen table of the large rental house hosting the crew in the countryside surrounding Eindhoven, I see faces emerging one after the other from the depths of our family-sized home for the week. And as everyone slowly wakes up, pouring their first cup of coffee or debating on the perfect way to boil eggs, emerges a very familiar feeling too. While the group has evolved over the years, the overall dynamics always feel balanced and the many perspectives brought both by old-timers and newcomers seem to mesh harmoniously. This is home, indeed. And this week, our family vacation of sorts.
17h42 - We drive to Area 51 in the afternoon to check out the space, and when the park officially closes for visitors, it then becomes our private little playground until we open the doors again on Thursday. We start moving the obstacles the local builders have created based on our designs around the course. Thanks to Pim & Daniel’s incredible work, it’s like playing Lego in real life, seeing new spots arise as we assemble the different pieces and adjust their position. After a few hours of pushing things around, we can already get a feel of what the final park will be like, and go home dreaming of the many new lines and tricks this fresh new setup will offer.
Day #2 - Monday 10/02
10h21 - Back in the park, this is when the heavy work starts. After the group meeting in our beloved shower room of an office, tasks are split and smaller crews assemble accordingly - the beauty of it is how organic it feels at this point. As several spots have already been completed, some start painting, others go through the delicate process of creating the stickers used for branding, while more spots are still being built in coordination with the Area 51 experts, and WC masterminds Jojo & Jonas run the show from the office. This efficient ballet is all the more impressive when you realize everyone actually has a smile on their face.
14h48 - With heavy work, also come much-needed breaks, and we all trust each other to find our space when we need a moment to rest. Around mid-day, we take a walk to the city center with Passi to purchase some essentials for the week (fresh socks, health products, a lunchbox), which allows not just for a breath of fresh air, but also a refreshing conversion amidst the ongoing frenzy. Getting to know other crew members better, and bonding over moments like these is also what makes this week so special. Though we had a great time building this park together, this stroll through Eindhoven was my highlight of the day.
Day #3 - Tuesday 11/02
11h52 - As is often the case, this is when we start fine-tuning the details, especially when it comes to the branding of the different spots. And as is always the case, the massive Grindhouse box offers the biggest challenge, both in terms of construction, but also the many layers of stickers and paint that need to be applied to render the intricate logo of the event’s main sponsor. It takes a dedicated crew and several days to achieve, and always proves a painstakingly long process. In the meantime, most other obstacles have now been painted and await their own dedicated logo, which will done and dry by tomorrow.
Day #4 - Wednesday 12/02
16h31 - Beyond the corporate branding that comes with such an event, celebrating our 20th anniversary is obviously something truly special that deserves its own set of decorations too. More noticeably, the balloons hanging from the rafters and hovering above the entrance door prove to be a major task. Trusting his engineering skills, Till takes it upon himself to enroll a few volunteers in order to inflate the hundreds of balloons necessary. The result is impressive, and surprisingly, only a few of these pop up in the process. All it takes is a whole afternoon and a lot of motivation, but we’re all thankful for the extra flavor it brings to the building now!
19h20 - For many years, finishing everything on time so we could skate the park by ourselves was more of a pipe dream than a truly achievable goal. But for the second year in a row, we’ve now managed to successfully get everything done - including cleaning and mopping the park with the help of early volunteers - so we can celebrate with a few drinks and a joint session with the Area 51 staff on Wednesday night! Being the first to skate obstacles we’ve now dedicated so much time and attention to feels like another essential perk of this job, something to keep us motivated all through the week. Not to mention the joy of seeing Jojo put the skates on for his yearly session, of course!
01h32… Well, technically Thursday morning - We’ve been simmering in the hot tub for several hours now, slowly exhausting ourselves to the point of extinction. Everyone eventually leaves for the comfort of their beds, while we keep on chatting away with Dominik, a historical member of the crew who’s escaped daddy duties to join us for one night. Reunited for the first time in a long while, we discuss everything from our daily lives to the specifics of shooting photographs and the pain of printing things on paper. One night definitely isn’t enough for old friends to fully catch up, so may there be many more Winterclashes for us to be together again!
Day #5 - Thursday 13/02
17h49 - Having just finished fully setting up the judges’ booth a while earlier, we’re now sitting up there with the Swiss homies, savoring this very special view as the first riders now get to test out the park. More heart-warming than the skating, however, is witnessing our guests’ initial reactions as they enter the building and see the park for the first time from the balcony. One lady actually starts tearing up, another gentleman gets a smile so big it’s contagious, and I can’t help but think it’s something very special we’ve created… And get a little jealous, even, that we don’t get to experience the genuine surprise of walking in here like they do.
20h12 - Yet walking out of the volunteer's room in the evening with my beloved Hanglosers sure feels like a special moment few get to experience, either. It is a crazy sight, indeed, scary, even. And while it surely isn’t our first rodeo, seeing layers upon layers of people surrounding the bowl, crowding every inch of available space on the balcony and platforms overlooking this wooden treasure, emerging from the smoke in the loudest roar imaginable, I almost feel intimidated walking in here. The score is even, then, because it’s a feeling that can’t be replicated. There’s definitely no better way to start the weekend than with the Superbowl!
Day #6 - Friday 14/02
23h46 - I swear we tested everything. We actually spent over two hours checking the sound system, lights, and video projector with the technical boss at Blue Collar this afternoon. And yet, as these things are wont to do, the beamer simply refuses to work now, and the crowd is getting rowdy outside as we’re running desperately late for the Anniversary Gala with Jojo. In true Winterclash fashion, however, the whole team contributes and we figure out a plan B, and then C, and eventually run the show until 2 in the morning. Another great example of our crew making it work in the end, DIY like it’s always been, creative and resilient in the face of unforeseen circumstances. Happy birthday, I guess?
Day #7 - Saturday 15/02
21h50 - I am watching the finals with the WC team, and for the very first time, we even have our own little tribune to enjoy the show, having expanded the space dedicated to the DJ booth and live stream crew. Believe it or not, everybody was on their own before, some would even watch the broadcast from the office, and this wasn’t much of a shared moment. But now, we’re all screaming, experiencing the insanity together, and simply getting lost in the moment. Quite an upgrade, and a reminder of why we do this in the first place: we’re all rollerblading fans, after all, and sure sound like it as we cheer for the finalists to land their last trick!
I’ve already written extensively about the competition in itself, so feel free to check out the full report below if you want to dive into the action:
Day #8 - Sunday 16/02
15h30 - After the high of yesterday, comes the sobering experience of wrapping everything up. The park is now empty again, and we start cleaning up while the first spots are coming down. We pack up the office, load the van, get rid of the consigned glass, and go for a last shopping mission so we can enjoy our final family dinner together at the house. The live stream is playing on the TV, and we share a few shots and drinks before getting inside the hot tub one last time. Only one rule tonight: we don’t talk about skating. The more personal tone of these conversations carries us until late in the evening again: tomorrow our paths will separate again, but in this final moment, we’re all together, just a little bit longer.
Epilogue - Tuesday 18/03
20h07 - A full month has now gone by. Behind our screens, we’re catching up for our online group meeting to debrief the event, share our feedback, and discuss plans as well as things big and small to improve for next year. It will be a while until we’re all gathered in Eindhoven once again, but logging on from Latvia, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Austria, Germany, or even Canada, it feels like a little piece of Winterclash is here in Greece with me. Eleven months isn’t that long, after all. Just enough time to reflect on the events of the last twenty years, cherish what has truly been a very special anniversary, and be thankful for the opportunity to experience it all with my crew!
