Espen Øino grew up in Oslo in a skiing family. Together with his two brothers, he trained at the ski club every other evening from six o'clock until the floodlights were switched off at ten o'clock. The piste was in his neighbourhood and there was only one lift. Every morning, the brothers looked out of the window and kept an eye out for snow. For them, snow meant creativity and fun, like white sand, which they used to build igloos or small ski jumps. At weekends, they took part in national races at home. At the age of 16, Øino realised that he would never be number one, quit and went to a boarding school in Normandy. He continued to spend his holidays in the Alps and skiing became a leisure activity.
Espen Øino: from Monaco to the Swiss Alps
Today, Øino travels from Monaco to the Swiss Alps, where he owns a chalet, almost every weekend in winter. When he is travelling and there is an opportunity in the area, he always tries to combine it with a ski trip. He has already been skiing in North Africa and Russia and has done heli-skiing and ski tours in Antarctica and Kamchatka. Turkey is currently at the top of his list as it is said to have excellent powder snow. Some of his yachts were built in the mountains, for example the first Silver Yachts models. When he's on the piste, he enjoys the moment and doesn't think about yachts. "Then I soak up the good vibes and nature, try to perfect my turns and enjoy every second."
Physical challenge and mental time-out
Øino skis very hard. Afterwards, he realises how much strain he has put on his body. "My normal life in Monaco can't give me that, even though I regularly do sport in the morning. I already draw positive energy from it when I think about an upcoming ski weekend." It starts for him on Thursdays, when he checks webcams and the forecasts. Many people feel the same way when they are planning a yachting trip. What he likes about skiing is that it is an individual sport that you can also do together with friends. The Norwegian likes to pursue a hobby that is not directly related to yachting.
Heliskiing from the yacht
Øino has noticed a trend towards explorers with helicopters and ski areas. "To be honest, I don't get to enjoy heliskiing very often. It's forbidden in most countries, including Norway. I was there the year before last and we simply flew 10 to 15 minutes further to Sweden." The Monaco native also experiences empty pistes and powder on ski tours. Then he climbs mountains with light skis and looks for descents with untouched snow. "On the ascent, it's particularly important to get into the right rhythm, to burn off energy and almost fall into a trance. I think a lot and sometimes good ideas come to me."
This article first appeared in BOOTE EXCLUSIV 1/2021 and has been updated for this online version.
Sören Gehlhaus
Stellvertretender Chefredakteur BOOTE EXCLUSIV
