HAE Blog

As part of our COLLECTION BY HAE WOMEN, we are happy to share inspiring insights from strong female riders with you. Today, Celia Petrig introduces herself and tells us about the adventures and moments that shape her life and on the snowboard. She talks about her family, her love of nature and how she is inspired by her creative energy and strong will to always break new ground. Her story shows how the courage to make your own decisions creates new opportunities - whether in snowboarding, in the creative field or through her work with young talent. Which moment in your life – sporting or creative – has had the greatest impact on you? What comes to mind? A powder day with my family - my father Kurt, my mother Kerstin, my sister Ramona and my brother Artimus - in the Weglosen, the best valley run in my home resort Hoch Ybrig. It had snowed all night and we set off early in the morning. The energy in the car was already high because we all knew what to expect: the best powder snow runs with "15-minute gondola intervals." It was still snowing and that meant that we had fresh snow on every run! In the evening we had hot chocolate in thermal clothing. What does adventure mean to you and how does it influence your creative side? When I hear the word "adventure," my heart beats a little faster. The unknown and the new have always fascinated me. Whether it's snowboarding trips, surfing trips or just little adventures in the forest - they give me the chance to get to know myself again, break old patterns and gain new energy. Adventures show me that anything is possible. Celia Petrig likes to jib rainbows at sunrise. How do you feel when you're standing on your board, whether in the snow or on the water? Are there creative parallels to these moments? When I snowboard, I enter my "flow state" where everything feels free, harmonious, light as a feather and powerful at the same time. I also experience this feeling when I surf, skate, paint and draw. It's almost as if I have superpowers and can see things in slow motion - my senses are heightened and time doesn't seem to exist. Maybe that's why it's so addictive! How is your personality reflected in your style on and off the board as well as in your creativity? I am a very positive, energetic and playful person, but at the same time determined and calm. This shows in my snowboarding style and in my projects. When I set my mind to something, I pursue it with all my heart and dedication. Celia Petrig gets into the flow state through snowboarding. What makes you particularly proud of what you have achieved – athletically and/or creatively? This can also be professionally. When I look back, I am proud of my career. From successful junior contests and World Cups to perhaps my hardest decision, leaving the snowboard squad team, only to take 2nd place at the Laax Open and receive an invitation to the US Open. When I decided to stop competing in FIS competitions, video projects and team films started to take off. I also had success in backcountry contests, such as the final of the Freeride World Tour and winning Red Bull Infinite Lines. Thanks to my sponsors, family and good friends, I can live my dreams and I am very grateful for that. On the creative side, I am happy about some great collaborations: I was able to design a bikini for Saryta Bikinis, have my goggle pro model at Spy Optics and am currently working with Nitro on a design for the upcoming Ivy binding. Very exciting! Celia Petrig with her Goggle Pro Model. Is there a special woman, friend, artist or athlete who inspired you to follow your own path? Elena Könz has always inspired me. First because of her strong will and talent in snowboarding, then because of her big heart, humorous character and loyalty. When we were both no longer in the squad, we spent a season together in Laax. We shared a tiny studio with a friend and went snowboarding every day - it was a great time and we complemented each other perfectly. Her motivation to go filming and always do the best inspires me a lot. Some also knew her as "Mama Bear". Her art and creativity speak for themselves. How do you inspire other people (everyone, not just women) to follow their own path – be it through snowboarding, creative projects or simply in everyday life? I am open and willing to listen in everyday life. I am interested in the different paths that are possible and I try to support and encourage. Snowboarding offers many opportunities to inspire others. My latest project, "Laax Originals - Celia Petrig", gives an insight into my personality and philosophy of life. I am heavily involved in coaching and training, such as the Girls Shred Sessions with "Chixxs On Board", my own Shred Sessions or in training courses from J+S that I lead. This winter I worked in Australia and had my own team that I trained all season long. Celia Petrig also coaches young snowboarders. What does it mean to you to be part of the “Collection by HAE Women” and how did you bring your creativity into this project? It's incredibly exciting to be part of this project and team. HAE brings together an inspiring and strong team of women. Different styles and skills come together, and thanks to the openness of the brand, this year we were able to bring in all our ideas and input and create the new collection together. I love Daria's style on the snowboard and surfboard - I could watch her for hours! Lea's determination and skill in the backcountry are incredibly inspiring, and Jenni is a ray of sunshine who embodies the joy and passion for snowboarding. I already mentioned Elena... simply the best!

Léa Klaue by Jeremy Bernard Our HAE Women collection brings together inspiring snowboarders who, in their interviews, give insight into their philosophy of life and creative processes. Today, Léa Klaue , an athlete and social anthropologist, tells us about her adventures in the high mountains, her love of nature and the courage to face the uncertainties. She shares what it means to her to balance between artistic and athletic expression and how she experiences the power of community in the snowboarding scene. This story shows how versatile the connections between snowboarding, science and creativity can be. What does adventure mean to you and how does it influence your creative side? For me, adventure is about navigating uncertainty. It's about going to unknown places or doing things without knowing what the outcome will be. It also includes the motivation and excitement of the "unknown". I am particularly drawn to the mysterious or unknown, and that is what fuels my creativity and imagination. I couldn't be creative without adventure - and the same goes the other way around. How do you feel when you're standing on your board, whether in the snow or on the water? Are there creative parallels to these moments? When snowboarding, especially when freeriding or in challenging terrain, planning is crucial to minimize risks. As soon as everything is thought through and the line is prepared, I switch off my brain and follow my instincts. In these flow moments, I am fully concentrated and completely in the moment, with no room for reflection. This is exactly how my creative practice works: the most beautiful things arise intuitively from gut feeling, be it movements, lines, texts or ideas - but only after thorough preparatory work. Léa Klaue makes turns in the deep Val D'Anniviers. Photo by Jeremy Bernard Where do you get your creative inspiration from – whether on the mountain, at sea or in everyday life? I spend a lot of time in nature, whether it's trail running, cycling, splitboarding, climbing, hiking or walking. The natural elements, the weather and the mountains give me peace and clarity to organize my thoughts and create new ideas. I also consume a lot of works by other creatives: books, music, art, films, texts and mountain projects. I am very interested in what others are doing and absorb these impressions like a sponge. With this background, I then form my own ideas. How is your personality reflected in your style on and off the board as well as in your creativity? I see myself as a very spontaneous person who often just starts things and sees what happens. At the same time, I am determined and focused, and if something really motivates me, I do everything I can to make it happen. This process often starts long before I consciously notice it. Maybe that's why I often take on challenging projects, like expeditions to difficult mountain regions. The process is what I enjoy most: developing ideas and implementing them step by step, and then seeing what happens. Léa Klaue tiny in Kyrgyzstan. Photo by Jeremy Bernard Are there any projects outside of snowboarding where you particularly express your creativity? In addition to snowboarding, I work as a social anthropologist and work at the intersection of art and scientific research, using creative methods such as film and creative writing. I am committed to finding beauty in human activities, even when dealing with difficult or complex topics. The world is pretty absurd and humanity is not doing well at the moment. However, I try to remain playful while understanding connections and phenomena. For me, snowboarding is also a creative and playful way of dealing with difficult things. What makes you particularly proud of what you have achieved – athletically and/or creatively? This can also be professionally. I am proud that I was able to complete my PhD and pursue my snowboarding career at the same time, without one crowding out the other. The snowboard film projects that I have been able to complete have given me a lot of confidence. These processes have required a lot of perseverance and persistence, while at the same time opening up creative avenues that I would never have imagined. It is a wonderful feeling to realize that anything is possible. Léa by Thibault Montoni Is there a special woman, friend, artist or athlete who inspired you to follow your own path? As a young snowboarder, I was very inspired by the few professional female snowboarders I could see in magazines or films, such as Victoria Jealouse, Tara Dakides and Marie-France Roy. For me, it was huge to see that snowboarding wasn't just for boys, even though these women weren't given much space in the scene. In addition to these role models from the sport, I was also inspired by many female artists, directors, authors, activists, social scientists and philosophers who went their own way against the status quo - often in the face of great resistance from society. How do you inspire other people (everyone, not just women) to follow their own path – be it through snowboarding, creative projects or simply in everyday life? I teach at various colleges and universities and sometimes supervise students in their projects. I try to convey to them that they should listen to themselves first and foremost and not be influenced by the expectations of society, parents, friends or the world of work. It is important to find meaning and joy in what you do and not to forget to give yourself enough breaks. What does it mean to you to be part of the “Collection by HAE Women” and how did you bring your creativity into this project? It's great to be part of a team that comes from my region and is always evolving. I think it's really cool that HAE supports so many different and inspiring female snowboarders and I'm proud to be part of it. Each of us brings our own background and style and that shows how diverse snowboarding can be. Many brands have only one woman on their teams among many men and that's just not up to date anymore. After all, the snowboarding world shouldn't be like Smurf Village, where there's only one Smurfette. There are many different female riders who do cool things in their own way, just like the male riders. For this collection, we were able to bring our tastes and opinions together and create something that is as diverse as we are - precise, simple, bold and with a lot of style. Léa likes steep couloirs. Photo by Thibaut Lamp