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Big air and the City

Big Air and the City Comes to Italy

Spectacular action and adrenaline in the heart of Milan

The Big Air World Cup, featuring jumps, tricks and pure adrenaline, arrived for the first time in an urban city setting in Italy, in Milan, in 2016 and 2017, thanks to the “Snow Eagle” Ski Club.

From Dream to Reality

It all began with Franco Vismara’s dream: bringing the mountains to the city.
Bringing skiing and snowboarding to where people live, work, and spend their time. Taking Big Air out of the silence of the peaks and turning it into an urban spectacle capable of engaging thousands of people.

In the mountains, competitions are technical and spectacular… but often watched by only a few people.
In the city, they become an event. A major show. Just as in Switzerland, where Big Air lights up city squares and sparks excitement.

In 2016 and 2017, that dream became reality. The Milan Expo area was a unique opportunity, and we decided to seize it! Right in front of the Tree of Life, we took on the challenge and brought a dream to life.

Behind that dream stand the efforts of many companies, skilled professionals, the “Snow Eagle” Ski Club, and Valmalenco.

A Technical, Logistical, and Human Challenge

Building a ramp 40 meters high and 130 meters long in the heart of a city was not just an ambitious idea. It was an engineering challenge.

The project took shape thanks to the passion of engineers Francesca Vismara and Antonio Noris – an engineer as well as a ski instructor and passionate skier – who, together with the FIS federal official, designed the slopes, geometries, and trajectories.
The structure was built by the Sartoretto company, based on Antonio’s design. He also studied the most suitable stratigraphy to support the snow, the snow groomer, and to ensure optimal competition conditions.

But a ramp without snow is just a structure.

And that is where the most complex and creative phase began.

Making Snow… in the City

The ramp was ready three weeks before the event. But how could the snow cover be created? The snow had to be produced on site, yet the slope and the sheer size of the structure made the task particularly challenging.

The lower section of the course covered with snow by Tecnoalpin using “Snow Factory” containers, which produced snow directly on site.

The upper section of the course was entrusted to Polar Europre, using an even more complex and costly system, with atomized nitrogen inside large greenhouse-style tents to create artificial snow.

However, the steepest section of the course could not be reached by the snowcat – it had to be transported by hand. So, we decided to bring several truckloads of snow directly from the peaks of Valmalenco and, in record time, complete the work.

One week before the event, the Valmalenco shapers, led by Luca Sliky Bagiotti, prepared the snow cover with impeccable precision.

The technical result was an outstanding course, made possible only through the collaboration and dedication of many people, with a unique snow surface created by an unrepeatable mix of snow.

A Village Around the Ramp

Big Air was not just a competition. It was a complete event.

Around the structure, a real village came to life, featuring sponsors, sports brands, food and beverage stands, and the presence of destinations such as Livigno and Bormio.
A second, smaller ramp with a Neveplast surface was dedicated to children, where they could ski or have fun riding snow tubes.

Behind this dream lay a major coordination effort: access management, internal security, public safety, communications, and institutional relations.

A huge undertaking. Demanding. Costly. The acquisition of sponsors was managed entirely by the Vismara family. However, the success of the event would not have been possible without the contribution of every single person involved, each going beyond expectations. Everyone wanted to be part of this incredible endeavor, offering their time, commitment, and service voluntarily.

An event created not to generate profit, but to create value, spread a message, and build image, positioning, and future opportunities.

An event that ignited motivation and passion through a collaborative and shared vision.

Two years in Which Milan Looked Up

For two consecutive editions, Milan became the center of the world for jumps, rotations, flips, and grabs. Each evening recorded record attendance, reaching peaks of between 12,000 and 15,000 people.

A city that paused, looked up, and discovered the spectacle of freestyle. Athletes came from Canada, Australia, and Europe. And the only Italian athlete competing? From Valmalenco.

Big Air & the City Milano was not just a competition – it conveyed a message, a vision.

The mountains are not far away. The mountains are culture, sport, and collaboration.

A Challenge That Left Its Mark

Not only for the numbers. Not only for the skyline reshaped by the ramp.

Big Air & the City Milano 2016–2017 showed how only teamwork, collaboration, and the courage to go beyond the obstacle can turn the most ambitious dreams into reality.

Big Air left a powerful lesson: everyone gave their best, going beyond their own role, and every obstacle was overcome through a shared, participatory spirit.. It was a unique undertaking – demanding, challenging, and fun at the same time. A truly shared challenge, a collective effort.

For Valmalenco, yet another source of pride: clear proof of its ability to organize and manage events of international scope, with technical expertise and genuine passion.

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