Andi Wittmann - Breckenridge Training Trip

Andi Wittmann has traveled over from Germany to Breckenridge, Colorado for 3 weeks in December to train for the 2011 season. We got a chance to chat with him and to learn why he's traveled all the way from Germany for a 3 week training camp.

Learn more about Andi's trip and Woodward at Copper inside,

Tell us about your 2010 Season Andy - some of the Highlights?
All in all 2010 was a really good year for me. My personal highlight was definitely when I stomped the cork 720 at the Vienna Air King and won the best trick award. It took a lot of work during last Winter to learn that one and to land it made me really satisfied. The bad thing in 2010 was that I had a crash in Saalbach Hinterglemm during the freeride festival. I injured my knee, so I couldn't ride all the big contests like Big in Bavaria, Crankworx Slopestyle and more. So I planned the FRAMED video project with Felix Urbauer and we are really happy about what we could archive with that pilot project.




Framed has been really well received by the online cycling community - were you excited to see people's reactions?
We were definitely excited about the feedback and especially about the views we have right now. I'm stoked that people like the way we are showing our sport and Felix is the man, he is such a good filmer and editor and I love working with him.




What are your plans with Framed now that the trailer is out? Have you received calls from other riders that want to take part in the project?
We are still thinking about what we'll do in 2011. If we are able to do something bigger then we will involve more European riders and rise up the level of filming and editing. The Pilot is just a small part of what Felix is able to to with his filming and editing skills.


Right now you are in Colorado training for the 2011 season. What are you doing there and how long do you plan to stay?
Right - it's my first time over here and I'm enjoying it a lot - great experience. I arrived on Dec. 2nd and leave on the 20th in order to be at home for Christmas. Breckenridge is the place to be for all the freeski pros worldwide, so I decided to follow Caja Schöpf, Bene Mayr and some more pros from Germany and Austria to this place to train with them. Freeskiers have amazing coordination skills and so we're spending lots of time at Woodward Copper training new rotation tricks on the trampoline set ups and then we go skiing and to the gym nearly every day. Good times though.




Wow close to three weeks of "training", nice work man. What are you hoping to achieve at Woodward?
Woodward is the main reason I followed them. You can learn new rotational tricks on the trampoline into the foam pit - nearly without risking anything. That’s the way I learned the cork 720: Freeski pro Bene Mayr showed me how to do the rotation and I could learn it on the tramp really quick. Then I took my bike and tried it a few times into the foam pit. You can’t really imagine how much it helps to be comfortable with the rotation part of your tricks.

It’s really impressive to see how coordinated all the good skiers are. I can tell you that trampoline jumping is one of the best things you can do for your overall coordination skills.



What will you do when you return home in order to keep those skills honed?
It's still early in the off season. So I'd like to go powder skiing as often as I can, we have tons of fresh pow in the Alps right now. We also have a great gym next to Munich called "Sportschule Puch FFB" - that's the best place to prepare yourself for the upcoming season and in February I'm going to visit Woodward's bike camps in the US and maybe some trails in Spain to bring my tricks on my bike up to speed.



You've got a busy schedule lined up already Andi!  Will you be following the FMB in 2011 then? Any plans for a trip to Canada soon?
For sure, I've already signed up for the world tour and my primary focus is on the tour in 2010. I'd like to go to the Crankworx Colorado and hopefully Darren's Invitational contest - but let's see how things work and if I get an invite. I'd also like to thank my sponsors for this past season: Giant, Zimtstern, Oakley, ixs, Fiveten, Maxxis, Spank, Fox Shox, Formula and Straitline.

Have fun in Colorado Andi for your last week there and we'll catch up again in the new year!