Wilrijk –
Stop saying Aspen to the indoor ski slope in Wilrijk. On Thursday, Antwerp mayor Bart De Wever (N-VA) and entrepreneur Marc Coucke, head of the Alychlo umbrella organization, opened SnowWorld Antwerp. “We want to work climate neutrally here by 2030,” said SnowWorld CEO Wim Hubrechtsen.
Thursday, December 21, 2023 at 4:58 PM
In October, Snowworld, which is part of Alychlo, acquired Aspen. It is the organization’s eighth indoor snow track: five in the Netherlands, one in the north of France, one location in Germany near Düsseldorf and recently also one in Antwerp. Which, according to SnowWorld, makes it the global market leader with 1.4 million ski passes sold per year.
“People think that such an indoor ski slope uses an enormous amount of energy,” said SnowWorld CEO Wim Hubrechtsen. “We are doing everything we can to keep this to a minimum and want to be climate neutral by 2030.”
Peter Wouters, Bart De Wever (with helmet) and Marc Coucke, among others, opened SnowWorld on Thursday. De Wever is still wearing his ski suit. — © Sarah Van den Elsken
Entrepreneur Marc Coucke, who was introduced with après ski music, also reflected on the climate. “Due to the constant temperature, we use less energy than you would think. That is why we remain open all year round. Suppose we stop everything and let it thaw, it would take a lot of energy to get everything ready for restart. That is also our great asset: in the ski areas you can spend a certain period of time per year on the slopes, but here you can do so for twelve months.”
Annual trip
Mayor Bart De Wever also went to the ski slope on his 53rd birthday. “As the child of a railway worker, we could go on a cheap skiing holiday every year,” he said. “Every month we saved 50 francs to pay for the trip. Even now I look forward to the annual spring break, because then I get to hang out with my family.”
Entrepreneur Marc Coucke. — © Sarah Van den Elsken
“I am happy that there are entrepreneurs who contribute to good sports infrastructure,” De Wever continued. “Sports connects. This connecting effect during winter sports is very special. SnowWorld will therefore be gratefully used as a facility for good preparation for that holiday and for the many top athletes.”
Top level
One of those top athletes is snowboarding world champion Seppe Smits. Together with Lode Nolf, general manager of Snowsport Flanders, he awarded SnowWorld Antwerp the label of ‘official training center’. “Despite its low location, Belgium has many top athletes, precisely thanks to the opportunity to train intensively close to home,” says Nolf. “Top level athletes are not born but formed.”
Snowboarders Jules De Sloover (left) and Seppe Smits were present in Wilrijk. Lode Nolf from Snow Sports Flanders addresses the audience. — © Sarah Van den Elsken
Before the colorful group moved to the renovated catering area, where you can taste fondue, raclette and stone grill, De Wever made a descent. Marc Coucke and Sports Councilor Peter Wouters (N-VA) stuck to pressing the festive button.
Bart De Wever receives a voucher for underprivileged families, a gift from SnowWorld. This way they can get acquainted with the novelty in Antwerp. — © Sarah Van den Elsken
