Growing Talent: Pipelife Supports Freestyle Snowboarders in Zagreb

The season for winter activities has begun, and the Sljeme Ski Resort in Croatia is already bustling with skiing and snowboarding enthusiasts. Head to the Snowpark section, where freestylers of all ages polish their mind-boggling tricks and jumps, and you might notice a familiar sight — Pipelife’s pressure pipes that have been repurposed as slides and rails. 

^{Equipping a New Snow Park}

Located just a 20-minute ride from Zagreb, Sljeme Ski Resort is a well-known destination for Croatia’s winter sports enthusiasts. An integral part of the resort has become Snowpark Sljeme — a training ground for freestyle skiers and snowboarders aiming to polish their skills and learn new tricks. 

Five years ago, the snowboard crew Sljeme Shred Masters reached out to Pipelife Croatia regarding the possibility of supporting the snow park with Pipelife products. The experienced athletes knew that plastic pressure pipes would make great freestyle rails thanks to their high durability and excellent sliding properties.

“We snowboarders are constantly looking for attractive elements for performing tricks,” says Alan Maleković, snowboarder and member of the Sljeme Shred Masters team. “On one occasion, we saw pipes that we could use on a construction site — we inquired and found out that these were Pipelife products. What we noticed immediately was the quality of the pipes, including the material and wall thickness. At that time, a big issue for us was the frequent bursting of the low-quality pipes that we had, so we didn’t hesitate and reached out to Pipelife.”

Pipelife Croatia’s team immediately embraced the idea of supporting the snow park and offering more winter sports activities to local children and youth. Thus, it was decided to donate several HDPE and PVC pipes to the project.

_{Advantages of Plastic Pipes for Freestyle Snowboarding} 

Nowadays, using plastic pipes in freestyle snow parks is becoming an increasingly popular choice. Unlike metal alternatives, plastic pipes are lightweight, durable and easy to transport. Such features are of great importance as snow parks often need to move and reconstruct their rails.

Furthermore, while boasting high impact strength, plastic pipes are more elastic than metal and by far less likely to cause severe injuries in case of a fall. Ensuring a safe and enjoyable training environment is one of the priorities of the Sljeme Shred Masters crew, especially as they help discover the joy of snowboarding to young children.

Last but not least, plastic pipes remain slidable even in temperatures above zero. Given the challenges of limited snowfall and relatively warm winter weather in Croatia, selecting the right materials for rails allows for an extended training season. 

_{A Joy That Lasts From Season to Season}

The 2023/2024 ski season marks the fifth year since Pipelife’s pipes were installed at Snowpark Sljeme — bringing joy to snowboard and skiing enthusiasts of all ages and serving as a ground for local and international competitions. 

Maleković is glad to admit that the 5-year-old rails remain in excellent condition, proving their resilience in the face of cold weather and intensive use:

“Still today, our young competitors, as well as other snowboarders at Snowpark Sljeme, train on Pipelife pipes — they are simply indestructible.”