Suzuki Nine Queens

A dream has become a reality and we have arrived to Serfaus- Fiss - Ladis. The weather was more than perfect, bluebird and no wind and we had a chance to hit the castle for the first time on friday so we can get used to the kicker. 

It was just perfect, the best jump I have ever jumped! Nice and long takeoff, endless landing and a lot of airtime. Applause to the shapers!

The best part of it was that it was soo photogenic! Check some of the pictures Juraj Lovas made of me jumping the castle:

The saturdays finals were even better! We got to ride together with the queens which were there for the whole week. And the level was insane! Cork 7s, switch rotations all the way until 1080, forward 900s, flatspins, rodeos... The perfect jump just allowed the girls to do whatever they want to try.

The winner was Ashley Battersby with her first ever switch 1080, second Eveline Bhend with first ever misty 900 done by a girl and Kaya Turski got 3rd with her switch 1080. 

 Kaya Turski and her unbelievable style.

My girl Eveline rocking her misty flip!

After the winners were decorated it was time for the gala evening and the afterparty, so we had our fancy dresses on, looks really funny with the goggle tans:))

Juraj in the middle taking the girls to the gala dinner:)

The whole event was sooo perfectly organized, thank you Nico Zacek, Virginie Favre and Eva Patschneider for all the hard work done!

Hopefully I can be a part of it next year as well!

take care

Natalia

Slovak Championship and Nine Queens Invite

Last sunday I took part in the Slovak Championship in my home resort PARK SNOW Donovaly. The weather wasnt very pleasant, it was cloudy with gusty winds, but it was fun anyway, with polish and czech guys coming as well. I took gold with a safe run consisting of flat-down box slide to switch, switch 180 left 360 japan and a 720 mute. Here is a picture of me and my Jibstar teammate Vilo Tomo, which became the new Slovak slopestyle champion, stoked for him! (picture by Marian Ligda)

But the best day of the last week was the day when I got the email of the 9 Queens Nico Zacek saying I can come to the contest day and jump the huge chateau! Me and Zuzka Stromkova are leaving on the 22nd, the training takes part on the 23rd and 24th is the contest. Make sure to check out the videos afterwards, sure it is going to be super-sick! Meanwhile the castle was finished today, have a look:

take care and enjoy the sunny weekend, I am going to shred Riders Park Donovaly!

xoxo
Natalia

FIS World Cup Jyvaskyla, Finland

Hey everyone,
sorry for the late updates but have been busy with our Riders Park Camp at my home resort PARK SNOW Donovaly. The camp was great fun:)

So the news! First ever FIS World Cup ever was held in Jyvaskyla, Finland and I was lucky enough to be a part of it!

We have arrived by plane to Helsinki (check this beautiful plane view of our Tatra mountains and my hometown Liptovsky Mikulas:

Because we had enough time me and Zuzka went for a little walk around the town

and for a meal:

Here is Zuzka sitting in the giant shoe:

Finland is a very beautiful and sportive country, everyone is riding a bike, you can see locked bikes everywhere, even under the snow, this picture is from the Helsinki train station:

The course didnt have that big jumps, bit it was quite hard because it had 7 features in a row, so you really had to stomp your tricks, otherwise you ended up not having enough speed for the next feature. The level of girls riding was very high, the point difference between the first 5 places wasnt very big.
I am stoked I have placed 3rd, went there with no expectations and this is way beyond what I have dreamed of:)
Here is me on the podium, 1st Lili Murud and 2nd Eveline Bhend. My teammate Zuzka Stromkova ended 4th!

Take care:)

Natalia

Polish Freeskiing Open 2012

Last weekend me and Zuzka went again to this great event organized by our friend Leski and his wife Marta to Zakopane in Poland, which is exactly on the other side of the Tatra mountains of my hometown Liptovsky Mikulas.
After the European Cup in Brand, Austria we were travelling for long 10 hours and only had 3 hours of sleep before the PFO. So we were a little uncoordinated and tired, but it was so worth it going there! We have a lot of friends in Poland and it is always great fun to meet them.
We have missed the friday night session, but we have started in the rails and big air eliminations. At the end I have placed 2nd in the big air and 3rd in rails and Zuzka 3rd in big air and 2nd in rails. We have all been amazed by the talend of just 10 years old estonian Kelly Sildaru, with her switch 7 mute in such a nice style and rightside 540 mute as well. Big up, she is definitely the next big star!

I was also stoked for my friend Szczepan Karpiel (we have stayed and trained together in the USA in december), he has became the Polish champion again and in the strong field placed 2nd overall!!

 Big air podium

Rails podium

take care

Natalia

FIS European Cup, Brand, Austria

My second ever FIS race (after the last years World Champs in Park City) was the European Cup in Brand, Austria. We have arrived together with Zuzka Stromkova, my Jibstar team mate Vilo Tomo and our coach Murgi to Brand tuesday evening after a long drive. It was snowing like crazy, but we were safe with my 4x4 Skoda Octavia, nickname Viola:)
The village was beautiful, snow everywhere and our accomodation was nice and comfy as well.
We had one training day and two race days. The course was set up from 2 kickers sized around 13m, the first one was more poppy with some nice airtime and a long box.
The trip was successful for me, since on thursday I have placed 1st and friday 2nd, so I have earned some FIS points.
I loved beeing there even more, because it was a combined ski and snowboard event, which means that loads of my friend were there. We even made a huge group photo with the czech skiers and snowboarders! Alltogether we have taken so many podium spots, it is almost unbelievable:)
Check some pics:

 Podium first day, me in the middle:)

Me and my Faction team mate Fredy Iliano, who placed 1st both days! Go Faction!

Podium 2nd day: me on the 2nd place and Zuzka Stromkova beeing the winner of the day:)

Czecho-slovakian crew alltogether, it was massive:)

take care

Natalia

 

Level Bliss international team!

Hey everyone!

So stoked to announce that I have become a part of Level Bliss gloves international team!
Please check my profile online on the Level website:
http://www.levelgloves.com/teamBliss.php?recordID=nataliaslepecka.jpg

An make sure you check the beautiful Level Bliss girls gloves edition:
http://www.levelgloves.com/blissgloves.php

This week I am attending the FIS European Cup in Brand, Austria and straight after I am going to Polish Freeskiing Open in Zakopane, which is a town on the other side of my Low Tatras mountains.

take care, will post some results and impressions soon:)

Natalia

Swiss Freeski Open Davossss

Hey everyone, so I am back home from Switzerland! Riding Laax snowpark and powder was the top experience, here is a picture of me sitting in the coolest shapers vehicle:

The snowpark there is in an awesome shape now, with soo many features! I really enjoyed it there!

Saturday and sunday were the competition days, last years Big Air comp has become a slopestyle comp, which ment that after a massive kicker there is a rail as well:) The kicker was the same as the snowboarders had for the 6 star Oniell evolution. It was probably the biggest one I have ever jumped, the airtime was just incredible! But on the other side it was very smooth and the landing was nice and steep. I had fun riding with Eveline again for both days, and at the end I have placed 2nd, only one point away from Camillia Berra, Eveline Bhend got 3rd.
The girls level of riding is really high nowdays, flatspins 5, 3, stylish spins...
Here is the picture from the prizegiving, Eveline is not there as she had to rush to pack her stuff for USA, she will be competeing in the Dew Tour, good luck Eveline!

And the picture of the kicker:

Take care!

Natalia