Snowboarding
See Eero Ettala transform a Finnish snow castle into a snowboard haven
Join Finnish rider Eero Ettala as he shreds, jibs and flips his way through one of Finland’s most extravagant snow castles.
Each year, a naturalistic engineering phenomenon emerges in the Finnish Arctic. The Snow Castle, built from millions of kilos of snow and crystal clear ice, draws in crowds from around the world to catch a glimpse of the structure’s meticulously-built sculptures, snow suites and ice restaurant.
The Snow Castle serves as a unique tourist experience for most, but for veteran snowboarder Eero Ettala, the frigid building offers an opportunity to shred a uniquely-Finnish landmark.
“I’ve done a lot in the streets, the park and backcountry, but I really wanted to create an edit that represents Finland – a country known for our ice hotels,” said Ettala. “Instead of travelling to new spots, I wanted to place a creative spotlight on what we have here at home.”
Carving up the castle
© Pasi Salminen/Red Bull Content Pool
The builders gave us open doors and allowed us to do whatever we wanted
After months of planning and collaborating, Ettala completed the first-ever snowboard session inside the walls of a Snow Castle and captured the experience in the most aesthetic way possible.
Sliding ice
Throughout the early 2000s, Ettala established himself as one of the most influential urban riders in snowboarding and sliding atop metal became second nature. But, sliding atop ice, proved to be a different story:
“At first, the builders told me I wouldn’t be able to slide the features with sharp edges,” he explained. “We hit the rainbow first, which went smoothly. But then we transitioned to an outdoor spot that had been melting in the sun and I caught my edge – which was a big wake up call. I decided to switch to an edgeless board for the final days of filming.”
Catching some big air inside the castle
© Pasi Salminen/Red Bull Content Pool
There was plenty of space for Ettala to explore
© Pasi Salminen/Red Bull Content Pool
Ettala didn't just carve up the ice with his board
© Pasi Salminen/Red Bull Content Pool
Ettala carves his way through a tunnel
© Pasi Salminen/Red Bull Content Pool
Snowboarders and ice builders unite
“The builders gave us open doors and allowed us to do whatever we wanted,” said Ettala.
“Let’s take the picnic table line, for example. Those were originally in the cafeteria of the hotel and we brought them into the hallway to establish an entry shot. But, when I stood on top of them, my head would hit the ceiling. The builders happily cut down the legs to make it work.”
The legend returns
Ettala might have retired from filming full-season video parts in 2015 after a successful 13-year career, but his love for snowboarding and desire to create unique edits still runs deep.
Exploring a castle unlike any other
© Pasi Salminen/Red Bull Content Pool
“Filming video parts can be repetitive,” he explained. “You chase the best snow for five months, collect as many A-grade shots as possible, then cut all of that work down into a three-minute edit. Whether you shoot for five months or a week, people are only going to watch it for a day or two and then it gets lost in the mix. I’m enjoying spending my time more wisely now and creating projects that are unique and timeless.”
What comes next
“I’ll be boarding as much as possible this upcoming season,” he said. “Sure, I’m getting old, but I still enjoy snowboarding as much as I did when I was sixteen.”
“At my peak, I used to feel so much pressure from sponsors. Now that I’ve let all of that go, I just board for myself. I’m looking forward to making edits for social media, contributing to some sponsor-driven projects, and riding with the homies.”
