Event News
The Audi Nines are under construction, and it already looks insane
If you haven’t gotten the memo yet, Nine Knights is no more. No more Knights, Queens or Royals—but in their place comes The Audi Nines, a complete rebrand of the annual event that’s brought us some of the most incredible features in snowsports over the past decade.
The name may have changed, but one thing’s for sure: the features are still getting crazier. This year’s Audi Nines course features a skicross course like you’ve never seen before, followed by the prerequisite big-air jump and concluding with a huge quarterpipe. The bottom features make use of two giant avalanche barriers at the host resort of Sölden, Austria, utilizing “natural terrain” —okay, not exactly natural in this case, but you get the point—to make the dream of these super-sized features a reality.
With a week left until the 2018 Audi Nines kicks off, construction of the course is charging full speed ahead, and the first photos of the build are already fairly spectacular. We asked the shapers to send over a few shots from their baby—take a look for yourself.
Looking down the skicross course. Photo: Audi Nines
Shapes slowly emerging from the snow. Photo: Bernie Kofler/Reframe Productions
This looks like the drop-in to the skicross. Photo: Bernie Kofler/Reframe Productions
The two massive avalanche barriers at the bottom, slowly transforming into a jump and a quarterpipe. Photo: Bernie Kofler/Reframe Productions
This section is called "The Braid," and it´s turned out to be one of the most visually spectacular features in the setup. Hopefully it´ll ride as nice as it looks! Photo: Bernie Kofler/Reframe Productions
Finishing work on The Braid. Photo: Daniel Pulit
Drones-eye view. Photo: Bernie Kofler/Reframe Productions
Side view of The Braid. Photo: Audi Nines
The tunnel is through! This looks to be a down-the-hill, corkscrew-style loop feature. Yeah, one of those. Photo: Neubi
Another feature completed, and there´s still plenty more to come. Photo: Janis Daleckis
Features beginning to line up... photo: Bernie Kofler/Reframe Productions
Photo: Bernie Kofler/Reframe Productions
Photo: Bernie Kofler/Reframe Productions