For those who do winter sports now is the best time of the year. It is getting cold and many hills are already snowcapped.
Niklas Opdenhoff, apprentice in technical product design, also is encouraged about this season. The 20-year-old is a passionate skier since his second birthday.
This enthusiasm is also caused by his relatives because, come as Niklas, his grandfather, father and brother also entered skiing competitions.
At the beginning of 2020, several national and international races were taking place. In these races Niklas was very successful:
- First place parallelslalom club championship Alpine club
- Third place Sölden memory race
- Third place giant slalom Baden-Württemberg championship
- Qualification for german championship (unfortunately cancelled caused by the corona virus)
For seven months each year, the young athlete revolves around his big hobby: from October to May, he goes on the slopes in Germany, Austria or Italy almost every weekend. This season Niklas stood on his skis for the first time in August while others tanned at the bathing lakes. Most often, he goes to the Stubai Glacier in Tyrol during the winter months. In the foreseeable future, Niklas wants to fulfill a dream and race down the slopes in the United States or Canada.
In his club, the racing team of the German Alpine Club (DAV) in Ulm, slalom, parallel slalom and giant slalom are trained. However, the many hours on snow are not enough to be able to curve around the bars and gates as quickly and smoothly as possible. During the week, stretching and coordination exercises as well as strength training are on the program almost every day after work – either at home or at the DAV. He is also very ambitious when it comes to frequent swimming or racing.
Butzbach has been Niklas’ official partner since October 2018. The company logo is emblazoned on his helmet, his peaked cap and his jacket. His employer also accompanies him in his free time and supports the young talent on the way to success.