THE WINNERS OF BIKESTER’S #ULTIMATEADVENTURE
This spring, BIKESTER and Pinkbike hosted the #ULTIMATEADVENTURE for mountain bikers: a unique, all-inclusive boat and bike trip in the breathtaking fjord landscape of Norway. For four days we travelled on the M/S Gåssten– exploring the wild natural trails in this hard-to-reach bike heaven– from the steep mountain slopes down to the coast.
Read the entire recapRead the entire recap here!
Joining us onboard and on the trails were Silvio & Andreas (the winners of Pinkbike’s video challenge) and Jutta (the winner of Bikester’s Instagram challenge). Their incredible video and photo contributions convinced our jury of bike scene experts of their adventurous spirits and real MTB passion.
Get to know our winners Silvio, Andreas and Jutta a little better.
Bikester: Hi Silvio, hi Andy. We’ve already had some trail kilometres and boat time to get to know each other, but can you briefly introduce yourselves again for the Bikester readers?
Silvio: I‘m Silvio from Carinthia in Austria, 43 years young and a teacher at a vocational school. When I’m not teaching you’ll find me out and about on my bike or skiing in the mountains.
Andreas: I am Andy, 27 and also from Carinthia. I work in a bike shop during the summer and as a ski instructor in the winter. In addition to biking and skiing, I love filming.
Bikester: With Silvio's video-contribution to the Pinkbike challenge, you have, so to speak, both won your place aboard Bikester’s Ultimate Adventure. Silvio in front of the camera, Andy behind. Can you say a few words about the making of the video?
Andreas: The video emerged pretty spontaneously. Silvio came to me with the idea on a Friday. We’d planned a last-minute trip to the mountains and just one day later we had the finished video in the bag.
Silvio: The video turned out so good that we thought we’d submit it to the Pinkbike Ultimate Adventure Challenge. Obviously, it was good enough that when the vote was called – we got the chance to come here on the boat. Absolute madness that we‘re really here!
Bikester: What expectations of the trip did you bring with you to Norway? And how did you find the Ultimate Adventure experience?
Silvio: Our expectations were exceeded by far. The rugged scenery is so bizarre and chugging through the area on a former navy ship is just crazy. You can’t imagine that before you’ve seen it. It really feels like the ultimate adventure. On the first night we lay in our bunks with a grin on our faces, because we realised we were here.
Bikester: You both felt comfortable with the challenging paths. Andy, are your trails at home similar?
Andreas: The riding was pretty similar to what we’re used to in the Alps – maybe even a bit flatter than at home. But it was just unbelievable to ride with people like Robin, who’d been in the World Cup for many years and makes a living from riding. You can easily see how at home he is on the bike. For me it was a very cool thing to be allowed to ride in front of him. Naturally, that was pretty motivating. It’s been so much fun the whole time.
Bikester: Can you describe a few highlights that you’ll definitely remember?
Andreas: There have been so many highlights which will 100% stay with me for years. Definitely one of the best trips I’ve ever had. From the trails to the crew to the food – that any chef would be proud of.
Silvio: Well, Emily could probably boil water and it’d taste like beer. This may sound kitschy, but for me the circle has grown. I'm sure we’ll all hit some of the trails again. For example, in Carinthia.
Pinkbike winners’ video
JUTTA
Bikester: Hi Jutta, in the days on the boat and in the saddle we’ve had some time to get to know each other. But can you tell the Bikester readers a bit about yourself?
Jutta: Sure. I’m Jutta, 30 years old and I live in Chur, Switzerland, but I’m originally from Germany. My love of the mountains and snowboarding led me to emigrate after my studies – and I caught the bike bug in Zurich four years ago. Today, I spend much more time on the bike than on the board, live and work even closer to the mountains, and pursue my passion for photography as often as I can.
Bikester: Your winning shot in the Bikester Instagram challenge shows you riding some pretty rugged terrain. Can you tell us more about how the photo was taken?
Jutta: My photo was taken in July on a tour high above Flims/Laax, which led us to the foot of the Vorab glacier. We stayed on the mountain and that night there was a huge thunderstorm. At some point, we were forced to flee our shelter and head to a nearby mountain hut. The tour the next morning was gigantic despite the lack of sleep: we set off from the glacier forefield. To find the right line in a sea of smooth rocks wasn’t always easy, but there were countless fun options. This is where the picture was taken.
Bikester: Jutta, what were your expectations of Norway? Did you have any initial nerves about being the only woman in the group? How did you find it when you got here?
Jutta: I was incredibly excited about the fjord landscape and the trails here. I've never been biking in Norway and that, combined with a boat trip, sounded fantastic. I have no problem with going on holiday with a group of just men – I actually do this quite a lot. The whole team got on so well and from the first time that we all sat together on our bikes it was just mega fun. Only jumping off the boat roof took some effort.
Bikester: What memories stand out as highlights?
Jutta: A thousand great trail moments and this landscape – I think I’ll often look at my pictures of it. We’ve all just laughed so much together. The last few days on the boat have bonded the group so quickly. The close-knit life on the boat was definitely a highlight, and Emily's chocolate cake, with its liquid filling.
Jutta’s winning picture
