Snow Epic Fatbike Festival

122 riders from more than 20 different countries took to Switzerland with their bulbous tyres and ski gloves this month for the first edition of the Snow Epic Fatbike Festival on the ski slopes of Engelberg.

With 5 races spread across 3 days, the event attracted a host of big name stars including Absa Cape Epic winner and Olympic gold medallist Bart Brentjens, reigning Masters cross country world champion Rune Hoydahl from Norway, and Namibian Mannie Heymans, another former Epic winner. Legendary Swiss rider Esther Süss, herself a multiple world champion rocking vivid pink tyres, and veteran Bärti Bucher were also in the starting line up.

The event kicked off on Thursday, the 15th of January, with a cross country style loop in the Engelberg Valley. The main racing was saved for Friday, with a timed 900m ascent and descent of Brunni, capped off by a floodlit dual slalom event in the evening down 2 runs of the Klostermatte ski slope. The top riders battling it out in a close fought battle, showing Fatbikes are a little more nimble than they appear. The racing was rounded off on Saturday with 2 loops of the Trübsee mountain lake above Engelberg, followed by an un-timed mass descent back down into the village.

Spanish rider Tommi Misser was not phased by the cold conditions and took the win ahead of Rune Hoydahl and Silvio Busser, with Bart Brentjens back in 7th. Esther Süss showed her class to win the women’s event, followed by Alba Wunderlin and Amber Stull.

The 2016 event is already set to take place from the 13th to the 17th January, with entries opening on the 8th September this year. It looks like the Fatbike phenomenon is here to stay, so you better make some extra wide room in the garage for the next edition to your fleet.

Full results and entry for next year can all be found here.

Photos: Nick Muzik / Sportzpics