Words by Caelan Foye
The world’s most creative freestyle skiing and snowboarding event is heading to new terrain. In April 2026, Swatch Nines SNOW will make its debut in Hokkaido, Japan, which marks the first appearance of the event in Asia. An event well known for its combination of elite talent and innovative media members, Swatch Nines is more than a showcase for athletes; it is a celebration of the culture of freestyle and creativity within the skiing and snowboarding world.
Organized by The Nines AG, a Swiss-based event production company led by founder Nico Zacek, the event invites some of the most outstanding and creative athletes to express themselves. The event challenges athletes with custom-built parks, forcing them to think outside the box.
Unlike traditional competitions, Swatch events focus on and emphasize the creativity of skiing and snowboarding. They stray away from point systems, medals, and rankings; instead, athletes are invited for their flair and innovation. These unique athletes push the boundaries of freestyle skiing and take on the challenges that the sculpted features bring them. First-ever tricks and broken records are well known at these events due to the setups pushing athletes to attempt and do the “impossible.”
Hokkaido: A Natural Fit
The new Japan edition of the event is scheduled for April 2026, following a formal launch in the summer of 2025. Hokkaido is Japan’s northernmost island and is known for its pristine powder and dramatic snow landscapes. It will be a perfect location for creativity and unique features for the athletes to figure out. The exact venue and specific dates in Hokkaido will be disclosed and fine-tuned later.
Cultural Intersection
Being an international event, Swatch Nines is the intersection of culture, creativity, and global youth engagement. With origins dating back over 15 years to the “Nine Knights” events in Europe, the event has expanded. Swatch has dived into events in the mountain biking and surf world, pushing their view of style over scores.
Being one of the biggest freestyle events in the skiing and snowboarding world, the event garners a large audience that inspires the youth of the sport. Their concept is “ever evolving and adapting to meet the needs of action sports culture.”
The event brings together approximately 50 elite international athletes, 30 media companies, and 40 video/still photographers. The planned schedule aims to have athletes announced during the winter months this year.
Legends and Milestones
Big names that have attended previous events include skier Max Moffat, known for his stylish rail work, Meagan Oldham, a sensational Canadian-born skier, and snowboarders Clemens Millauer and Anna Gausser, who dominate the global scene with their creative lines and gravity-defying tricks.
In one of the event’s most groundbreaking moments, Jay Rawe, a pioneer of sit-skiing, made history at the event. He landed the world’s first cork 360 to 50-50 on a sit-ski and made a perfect example of the spirit of inclusivity and progression that defines the Swatch Nines experience.
Excitement is only starting to build for the event and its one-of-a-kind atmosphere that captivates the artistic side of freestyle skiing and snowboarding. It gives athletes an environment in which they can invent new tricks, collaborate with each other, and even break world records. Each event showcases a new design that challenges and inspires riders’ creativity.
In an era of over-scheduled, jam-packed, and rivalry-based competitions, Swatch Nines reminds us why we fell in love with freestyle in the first place. It is not about the medals or being on the podium; it is about progression and creativity. In April 2026 that creativity will unfold on Hokkaido’s beautiful powdery peaks.
