SWOARD 21st ECS 2024 > how to participate + questions

[Swoard team]

Hello everyone!

We are opening registration and package sales till 24 January 2024: see links below.
The ExtremeCarving Session (ECS) will have its 21st edition!
From Saturday 27 to Monday 29 January 2024 in Zinal, Switzerland!

Video - ExtremeCarving Session 2023:


There is already tons of snow! This is the best season start in more than 25 years, since Jacques & Patrice settled in Zinal to perfect their prototypes and original ride technique (that they named "extremecarving" in 2002).

Join the event, whatever your level is, to discover or progress in carving and extremecarving!
Test SWOARD snowboards with softboots or hardboots and get tips on the snow.
Enjoy friendly moments at the stand and during the Saturday dinner.

If there is deep powder, two of our models are perfect for freeriding!


IMPORTANT: LIMITED TO 130 PARTICIPANTS

The high altitude restaurant at 2450m, for the Saturday evening dinner (at a good price) and the party, is not very big. The maximum number of places is 130. So we have to limit the number of participants: first come, first served!
Buy your package early. Online purchase below.

If there are a lot of registrations, we will look for a plan B. Swoard always does the impossible.


CONCEPT

Over the years, this event, organised and sponsored by Swoard, has become much more than just test days of the brand, as we also propose our original ride technique which we tirelessly explain and teach by giving our settings, tips, secrets, etc. This is probably unique among all brands. We are passionate riders above all.

The session is open to the people who want to test Swoard boards, find the proper flex of board (it's like custom choice, another specificity of the brand), take free lessons with the Swoard EC instructors or share their experience. Open to both hardboots and softboots riders of course, with models adapted to everyone.


ACTIVITIES

- Stand: drinks, mulled wine (included in the packages), snacks, ... and demo boards on loan
- Demo boards: Extremecarver Gen5, Extremecarver Pro2, Dual2 and the new STOKE (softboots only)
- Piste "Le Col" reserved for the participants from 9am to 10:30am
- Free extremecarving lessons on Saturday and Sunday, from 1pm to 3pm (registration at the stand in the morning)
- Group photo: Saturday at 11:30 am near the stand
- Monday: "free session" day (no stand)


SATURDAY NIGHT PARTY

- Aperitif, dinner (starter, main course, dessert), coffee
- Music
- Speeches, videos and photos
- Gift and goodies

IMPORTANT: take your skipass with you to get access to the cable car and the high altitude restaurant. The people without any skipass will be asked 10 CHF by the employees at the cable car.


PROCEDURE


Step 1: find an accommodation

If you have not booked your hotel in Zinal or Grimentz yet (the resorts are connected by a gondola), don't wait anymore! Click here. The villages are small. On Saturday evening, the cable car must be taken from Zinal.


Step 2: choose your package

Each extremecarver can benefit from a better price on the skipass by purchasing online a blue package or a red package, but BEFORE the event. In Zinal it will be too late: the skipasses are sold at normal price only.

> BLUE PACKAGE: 208 CHF (Swiss Francs)
Skipass for 3 days (Saturday + Sunday + Monday) + Saturday dinner (aperitif, menu, coffee) and party + 2 mulled wine + Gift + Reserved slope "Le Col" + Activities

> RED PACKAGE: 169 CHF (Swiss Francs)
Skipass for 2 days (Saturday + Sunday) + Saturday dinner (aperitif, menu, coffee) and party + 2 mulled wine + Gift + Reserved slope "Le Col" + Activities

> YELLOW PACKAGE: 70 CHF (Swiss Francs)
Saturday dinner (aperitif, menu, coffee) and party + 2 mulled wine + Gift + Reserved slope "Le Col" + Activities


Step 3: purchase your package online or by phone

WARNING: deadline on 24 January 2024.

Direct link to the purchase of the packages: BLUE, RED ou YELLOW

You also can contact the Reservation Center of "Sierre-Anniviers Marketing". It is NOT located in Zinal.
Phone number: +41 (0)848 848 027 (Mon-Fri 08:00-12:00 / 13:30-17:30)
E-mail address: info@sierre-anniviers.ch


Step 4: add your name to the list of participants

Once registered, add your name in the other thread with the list of participants to inform the Forum community about your coming.

If you are not registered in the Forum, you can simply write to info@swoard.com and we will add your firstname.


Step 5: in Zinal, pick up your package
(skipass, tickets, detailed program and schedule)

Go to the cashier at the cable car in the morning, with your voucher or an identity card.

The detailed program with schedule will be also available in PDF document here soon.
It will be possible to pick up your package already on Friday, if you arrive earlier in the resort.


Any question related to this session?

All questions can be asked in this thread below! Thank you!


The Swoard team

[Swoard team]

The blue and red packages include discounted skipasses for the participants.

For comparison, the normal price of a skipass in Zinal-Grimentz is 71 CHF per day. For 2 days it is 121 CHF, and for 3 days 174 CHF. All this without dinner, gift, mulled wine, etc.

The yellow package is interesting for those who have the MagicPass (399 CHF if bought in spring) or stay at least 6 days (skipass sold at 312 CHF). If you stay 4 or 5 days, it is better to take a blue package, and in addition the skipasses for the single days (or half days) outside of the event.

The Swoard team

[Swoard team]

Frequent questions:


(1) Will it be possible to buy some DEMO boards?

No, the demo boards are in good state and we will keep them for next winter. But two Dual2 (158 and 175) can be sold on Sunday (ask at the stand at 11.30am).


(2) Will it be possible to purchase some NEW boards during the ECS?

Not during this session. Anyway we deliver worldwide. We ship from France (though Swoard is a Swiss company) at good price, and there is no custom tax in EU.


(3) Will it be possible to test the new Swoard-UPZ EC12 hardboots?

As we carry so many boards and bags, it's not possible to take additional hardboots. Moreover everyone has to find his proper flex with the extra tongues and springs.


(4) Will it be possible to test the Redline2 bindings?

No, for the same reasons as the hardboots. Moreover, it takes too much time to adjust the bindings on the boards.


The Swoard team

[Swoard team]

Regarding the dinner on Saturday evening:


(1) Will the dinner menu include a vegetarian option?

If you write to info@swoard.com before 20 January 2024, it's possible to prepare something for you.


(2) Will the dinner menu include a vegan option (no animal products)?

Probably not, but we are discussing with the cooker. Please, write to info@swoard.com for your demand.


(3) What about the dinner if I have food intolerance or allergy?

Please, write to info@swoard.com for your demand before 20 January 2024.


The Swoard team

[salmin]

I'm trying to buy the Blue package but for some obscure reason I can't select "France" when filling the address, see the screenshot. I also searched under the letter "R" in case it's listed as "République française" but it's not there either.

Do you now if the voucher is delivered electronically or by mail? If electronically then I guess it's not that important.

[Swoard team]

Did you check the start of the list?

Some other people from France got no problem.

The Swoard team

[salmin]

Yep, it's not there either.

I know it sounds stupid but I've checked Chrome Mobile, Chrome Desktop and Firefox Desktop, I even checked the html source of the page and indeed all the countries are there except for France (see attached). You can see for yourself if you'd like.

If the voucher is electronic then fine I'll just put some other country in there, probably that's what everyone else did anyway. Just worried in case I need to actually receive anything by physical mail to register.

[Swoard team]

This is the same system as last year.

Next Frenchy who will register will help you.

The Swoard team

[extremedoudou]

Salut,

Aucun soucis pour moi, "la France" est bien présente. Mais j'avais déjà un compte.
As tu essayé de passer directement par le lien français, (car tes copies-écrans sont anglophones) ?

viewtopic.php?f=5&t=14601

C'est peut-être simplement cela... Sinon, faut contacter le Centre de Réservation, t'as peut-être juste pas de chance, avec un bug sur ton compte...

PS : On ne peut récupérer nos forfaits que sur place à la télécabine avec nos réservations.

Bon courage

Carvingdialement

Edouard

[extremedoudou]

Bingo !!! C'est bien ça !

Je viens de faire le test avec le lien anglophone... et même si j'ai déjà un compte chez eux, je ne peux plus sélectionner le pays "france", il n'existe plus...

Les Suisses considèrent surement qu'on est tellement nul en anglais (pour moi c'est vrai ) qu'il faut nous bloquer quand on passe du côté anglais afin d'éviter de faire des conneries...
Je ne vois pas d'autres explications

A très vite à Zinal

[Swoard team]

We have contacted the IT of the Reservation Center to correct this small bug.

Normally, a French speaks only French!

The Swoard team

[salmin]

Lorsque j’ai choisi la langue française, cela a fonctionné à merveille.
Je vis seulement un an en France, mon français est trop faible. Merci.

[fivat]

Hello everybody!

All our best wishes for 2024!
One wish has already come true: we received tons of snow, as I never saw on mid-December in 25 years in the valley where I live 50% of the time. So all the pistes are open, and off-piste is rock-free.

The following picture speaks for itself.

Snow height in Zinal at 2900m on 23.12.2023

Our reserved piste, Le Col, is shown by this ray of light.

Ray of light on Le Col on 23.12.2023

It is ready for the ECS.

Please, during the event go enjoy this piste (from 09:00 till 10:30). Last year, some skiers complained (as they always do, because skiing is no fun) when they saw some participants on other pistes. If we want to justify the reservation of Le Col, we must use it (exception: the beginners who can stay on the easy slopes, of course).
From 10:30, and on whole Monday, we can carve the Barthelemy and all other pistes.
Thank you! So we can continue this way in the future.

Our reserved piste Le Col on 30.12.2023

Reminder: meet at the stand at 11:30 for the group photo.

See you there! It's going to be HUGE!

Patrice Fivat