Ten questions for... Elena Koller and Seraina Niggli-Fanoni

1) Elena, you're responsible for ensuring an adequate number of volunteers are available for the various Engadin Freestyle events in 2024 and for the Freestyle World Championships 2025 themselves. What do you like about this position?

Elena: My daily routine mostly revolves around the office, so it's particularly refreshing when the action kicks off just before the event. Out on the mountain, everything takes on a whole new dimension. The ultimate feeling of success is seeing the end result for which you've invested many hours. The support of volunteers is a key factor for the successful execution of every event; they are essentially the heart of it all.

2) You've just mentioned it yourself: For such events to be successfully executed, the support of volunteers is crucial. How do you deal with this responsibility?

Elena: The challenge is to have enough people on site on the day of the event. First, potential volunteers need to be made aware of all the events and be encouraged to participate. In the next step, volunteers are assigned to suitable areas of responsibility. It's important to assess who is best suited for which task. Seraina brings this intuition and expertise thanks to her many years of experience with the Engadin Skimarathon and other events supported by the organization "Voluntari Engiadina." This allows the initial contact with volunteers on-site to be more like a meeting among "acquaintances."

3) Seraina, thanks to your years of work with "Voluntari Engiadina," you're practically the mother of volunteers. Could you tell us a bit more about the organization?

Seraina: "Voluntari Engiadina" was founded in 2000 in preparation for the FIS Alpine Ski World Championships in 2003. After the World Championships, the organization continued its work, supporting various annual Ski World Cup events, Europa Cup races, Swiss championships, and the 2017 Ski World Championships. With around 4,500 registered volunteers, it has now become the largest volunteer organization in the Upper Engadin. Further,ore, over the past 20 years, the conditions and organizational structures have evolved. After the Engadin Skimarathon managed "Voluntari Engiadina" under its mandate, the organization was fully integrated into the structure of the Engadin Skimarathon. Leveraging its extensive event experience, "Voluntari Engiadina" continues to provide volunteer support for various sports and cultural events.

4) Coming back to the topic of freestyle. What are the particular challenges in finding enough volunteers for all upcoming freestyle events, especially the Freestyle World Championships 2025?

Elena: It's crucial that we can inspire existing volunteers to participate in the freestyle events because recruiting entirely new volunteers is way more challenging. Major events like the World Championships naturally have more appeal and tend to attract slightly more volunteers than smaller events. We've particularly noticed this during this winter season. Our freestyle events always compete directly with the entire range of leisure activities in the region. Additionally, people's spontaneity makes the task even more difficult. Therefore, early planning and allocation are almost impossible.

5) What are the different task areas of the volunteers of the Championships 2025?

Elena: The task list is extensive. For the Freestyle World Championships, we need to differentiate between tasks on the mountain and those in the valley. At the Corvatsch and Corviglia locations, there are primarily tasks that are carried out directly on the mountain, usually with ski equipment. These range from setting up the entire infrastructure on and off the slopes, ensuring course safety during the competitions, to dismantling the infrastructure afterwards. Additionally, there's the guest and spectator service at the different information points and refreshment stands. In the valley, there's also a festival area where bib distributions, ceremonies, and concerts takae place as part of the entertainment program. Here, too, there are numerous tasks awaiting our volunteers.

6) How are volunteers assigned to the different tasks? Is any prior work experience necessary?

Seraina: No, usually there is no specific work experience that is required to volunteer and the assignment of the tasks are typically based on skills and availability of the individuals. 

Elena: The most important factors are willingness to contribute and the joy of being part of something bigger. For tasks on the mountain, good to excellent skiing skills are necessary. Some construction-related tasks also require physical fitness. For administrative tasks, on the other hand, it's advantageous if individuals have general office skills. Overall, the tasks are quickly learnable with little to moderate effort.

7) Are the volunteers allowed to watch the competitions on-site?

Elena: Depending on their assigned area, volunteers can indeed witness the action live. Those stationed on the slopes are often more directly involved and perhaps closer to the action, but their focus and commitment are still required. We try to set up TVs where possible so that those who aren't as close to the event can still follow the competitions.

8) Is accommodation provided for the volunteers, or how does that work?

Elena: We're aware that Engadin is far for most people, so we try to assist with simple accommodation options in such cases. If someone doesn't need accommodation because they're local or have arranged a place to stay in a vacation rental, on a guest bed, or a couch of relatives, it makes our job definitely easier. 

9) What might be a highlight that vounteers get to experience during their service in your opinion?

Seraina: Volunteers often form new friendships that endure beyond the event. As a volunteer, you experience a shift in perspective; you're part of a major event rather than just a spectator. In my view, this is a valuable expansion of horizons.

10) What advice would you give to someone interested and passionate about sports who wants to volunteer for the first time?

Seraina: Choose an event that aligns with your interests. Be ready to learn new things and face new challenges. It's important to know that volunteering can be very rewarding in many ways, but it can also be tiring at times. Take the opportunity to meet new people. Enjoy the moment and be proud to make a positive contribution. Every volunteering effort is a valuable support in all areas.