-Kilian “Kili” Weibel
Kilian Weibel really rocks the piste! With his outstanding skill on the slopes, the technical manager at Swiss Ski and Snowboard School Engelberg Titlis and member of the Swiss Snow Demo Team is a local celebrity, whose social media videos regularly go viral.
Is it okay to assert that Kilian “Kili” Weibel is one of the best skiers in Engelberg, or maybe even the best? Is that something you can say about anyone in a village that has produced Olympic and world champions? I’ll certainly dare to make the claim that Kili must be one of our best all-round skiers. There are few who can beat him when it comes to technique, knowledge of his craft, and teaching ability.
Kili almost embarked on a career as a ski racer. He grew up in a family of skiing enthusiasts from Dallenwil to the north of Engelberg and hit the slopes from a very young age. He loved being out in nature, and wasn’t only into downhill racing but also freeriding and ski-jumping. As
a teenager he started attending Engelberg’s Sportmit- telschule, but at the age of 19, after two knee injuries, he decided to give up his goal of being a competitive skier and become an instructor instead. “But I was still always on the lookout for a challenge. I set myself ambitious goals:
I wanted to become a member of the Swiss Snow Demo Team (SSDT) as one of the best winter sports professionals in Switzerland.” Some people thought this was pie in the sky, but Kili worked hard, passed all the exams, and in 2013 he made it onto the SSDT. He participates in international competitions, and his formation team has twice been world champion. Kili is a busy man: he works to develop skiing techniques, participates in international congresses, teaches and trains ski instructors, and devises plans for a successful ski school. During the summer, he gives courses at Bikeschule Engelberg. Kili enjoys passing on his know- ledge: “I learned a great deal during my time as a racer.
I had good technique, but suddenly I didn’t care so much about being fast.” What mattered more was gaining a greater understanding of how snow, skis and skier interact. “Only then did I become a really good skier.”
And he is, indeed, a really good skier: not only has he enjoyed great success with the Demo Team; also, the Swiss ski cross team gets his assistance in honing their technique. Today, at the age of 35, Kili has achieved many of his goals, and continues to dedicate his energy and passion towards the development of winter sports. Kili frequently demonstrates his excellent skiing technique on social media. On Instagram the dedicated ski instructor has over 55,000 followers, who love to watch the skills, amusing tricks, and bright ideas he shows off in his videos.
“I want to show that skiing doesn’t have to be a serious affair, and that you can have fun and incorporate playful elements, whatever the weather.” He also gets to be creative within the Swiss Snow Demo Team. The team of ten develop their choreography together, striving for perfection at top speed and in tricky formations. “I embrace the playful, versatile side of skiing. That’s something that gives me an indescribable feeling of happiness.”
Article from Engelberg Magazine
Kili in the Z-2 HD GORE-TEX PRO 3L Shell Jacket, Forest Green/ Nugget gold & Y-1 HD GORE-TEX Pro 3L Shell Pant, Nugget Gold.