Martina Windlin embodies what our HAE Team is all about: courage, curiosity, cohesion, and the will to grow with challenges. In this interview, she talks about a street trip that pushed her to her mental limits – and why exactly this mix of support, patience, and team spirit can achieve so much. It's about adventure as a conscious step out of one's comfort zone, about flow moments on the board and in creative projects, and about an attitude that empowers others: persevere, push each other, be kind.
Which moment in your life – athletic or creative – has particularly shaped you? What comes to mind spontaneously?
The second street trip with RAD comes to mind spontaneously. Every spot was very challenging for me, and I repeatedly reached my mental limits. I remember a rail that I probably tried about 20-30 times. But the guys from RAD were, as always, super supportive, motivating, and patient. This team spirit helps you immensely to surpass yourself. Such a trip also strengthens self-confidence. There is nothing more liberating than briefly setting aside your doubts, overcoming yourself, and finally landing the trick.
photo: Kuno Egli
What does adventure mean to you, and how does it influence your creative side?
For me, adventure means leaving my comfort zone and doing something I've never done before. This could be a spot in snowboarding that inspires respect in me, a spontaneous road trip, or any new hobby I try out. Every time I engage in something new, it also opens new mental doors.
How do you feel when you're on your board, whether in the snow or on the water? Are there creative parallels to these moments?
For me, snowboarding means pure freedom. There's nothing better than cruising down the slopes at the end of the day with friends and a good song in your ear. My heart fills with happiness, and everything else becomes calm. You forget time and space.
I sometimes achieve this flow state in creative projects too, for example, when I'm tinkering with a website, and "I'll just try something quickly" suddenly turns into three hours. It's the same feeling of focus and lightness.
photo: Kuno Egli
Where do you draw your creative inspiration – whether on the mountain or in everyday life?
I am rarely inspired "from within"; I mostly draw my inspiration from other people. From friends or from video parts that I watch. You see something that captivates you, and you think: "Okay, I want to try that in my own way." Often a small moment is enough: a trick, a style, a conversation, a detail…
photo: Shannon Sweeney
How is your personality reflected in your style on and off the board, as well as in your creativity?
I am definitely ambitious and a bit impatient. Not necessarily the ideal combination for creative processes. I sometimes have to consciously take a step back and tell myself: "It's a learning process. And it usually never turns out perfect anyway." This applies to creative projects just as much as to snowboarding. But that's what makes it beautiful: you grow beyond yourself, athletically and creatively, and enjoy it.
Are there projects outside of snowboarding where you particularly express your creativity?
My job is very creative. I work in marketing and have a lot of freedom. Sometimes an idea for a project comes to my mind while snowboarding, and conversely, I occasionally sit in the office and dream of snowboarding. We all do that ;-)
photo: Willi Arnold
What makes you particularly proud of what you have achieved – athletically and/or creatively?
Through snowboarding, I have met so many great people. Sometimes I sit on the mountain with my friends, look left and right, and realize how valuable these friendships are. I am definitely proud of and extremely grateful for that. It's not just the sport, but the entire community that enriches my life.
How do you inspire other people (everyone, not just women) to go their own way – whether in snowboarding, through creative projects, or simply in everyday life?
For me, it's very much about positive encouragement. And that starts small. Sometimes you see someone trying a trick for a long time in the park and then they land it. I remember the trick, and later, for example, while waiting in line for the lift, I say, "Hey, that was a super stylish boardslide earlier." And then you immediately see their eyes light up. We all have insecurities, and such compliments give an incredible amount of strength and motivate us to keep pushing.
In short: Be kind.
photo: Kuno Egli
