A visit home to Saalfelden Leogang is not just about relaxation, but above all active recreation - after all, the region offers ideal leisure and training opportunities, especially with the Nordic Park.
Rapid captain since the summer of 2017, two-time ‘Rapid Player of the Year’ and on 14 February, he will face Inter Milan in the UEFA Europa League round of 16: Stefan Schwab has achieved what many young footballers can only dream of. The 28-year-old from Saalfelden has lived in Vienna for over seven years, which makes it all the more important for him to visit his home regularly: ‘Saalfelden Leogang is simply home, family and friends are here. When I come here, it's a holiday for me and I can switch off completely. Above all, I enjoy the fact that football is not so present.’
Abstinence from sport is out of the question for Schwab, even on holiday. ‘For me, relaxation is always active, especially when the region has so much to offer, including the Nordic Park,’ he explains. In addition to a varied network of cross-country ski trails, winter hiking trails and a natural ice rink, the winter sports competence centre at Lake Ritzensee also offers plenty of action, exactly to the taste of the Rapid captain: ‘If you want to play ice hockey at the weekend, you can simply come here to the Nordic Park at Lake Ritzensee. There are always enough people there to play a game,’ explains Schwab, who once started his sporting career in Nordic combined. He attended the main ski school in Saalfelden for three years: ‘Training at school was very tough - four times in the afternoon we either went to the cross-country ski trail or the ski jump, whereby the jumping was of course the most exciting for us boys,’ explains Schwab. Today, the excitement for the 28-year-old ‘Rapidler’ lies above all in scoring goals. But when he does swap his football boots for skis to compensate, his home region of Saalfelden Leogang provides the ideal infrastructure.
‘Meet and Greet’ with Stefan Schwab at the Nordic Park Experience on 10 February
Anyone who would like to meet Stefan Schwab in person should mark the Nordic Park Experience on 10 February at the Nordic Park at Ritzensee in Saalfelden in red in their diary. In addition to a ‘meet and greet’ with the likeable footballer, there are plenty of other attractions waiting for you. From 12 noon, it's time for the youngest to prove their talent at the Kids Winter Games. Children's biathlon, curling, winter golf and other activities are all about having fun. At the ice disco, young and old alike can strap on their skates and shake a leg to the sound of the DJ.
There will also be plenty of culinary highlights. In addition to a barbecue, many other tasty specialities from the north await the guests. On 10 February, the latest cross-country skiing products from Salomon can also be tested as part of the Nordic Park Experience.
