Inaugural World Women’s Snowsport Summit 2025

From April 20th to 26th, 2025, Kaprun hosted the first World Women's Snowsport Summit – the first international gathering of leading women in the snow sports industry. The event was organized by the World Women Snowsport Organization (WWSO), founded in 2024.

40 Teilnehmerinnen und 15 Coaches aus 12 Nationen waren Teil des World Women Snowsports Summit.

Among the 40 participants and 15 coaches from 12 nations were Nelli Heiskanen , President of the Finnish Ski Instructors Association, and Katalin Egri , President of the Hungarian Ski Instructors Association . Johanna Sperrer , instructor at the Snowsports Academy , also attended the summit – she was thrilled by the inspiring atmosphere and the intensive professional exchange.

Gemeinsames Skifahren und Wissensaustausch standen im Mittelpunkt des Events.

The focus was on skiing together, international knowledge transfer, and reflection on the role of women in snow sports. In the mornings, participants could choose from various "clinics": different ski teaching approaches were presented, new skiing techniques were tried out, and coaching strategies were discussed – always with the aim of learning from and inspiring one another.

In the afternoon, the participants presented research findings and conducted seminars on topics such as "What is Learning?" , "Snowsport Fear & Confidence" , "The Athlete Mindset" , and "Develop Your Coaching Philosophy" . Many women in leadership positions also took the opportunity to present their projects and programs for promoting women in snow sports – such as "Women of Winter" from the USA and "She Leads" from Great Britain, both of which are doing pioneering work.

A special highlight of the program was the panel discussion on Wednesday entitled "The Future for Women in Snowsports ," which could also be followed online. Key challenges for women in winter sports were identified, reflected upon, and concrete solutions discussed. The CARV team was also present, aiming to collect more data from women and thus advance the development of a more gender-sensitive product.

The week was filled with energy, expertise, and genuine inspiration. The participants not only demonstrated the remaining obstacles but also the potential that women possess when they support and encourage one another. The resulting networks and mutual support bring us a crucial step closer to achieving equality in winter sports.

Johanna Sperrer, Ausbilderin der Snowsports Academy, hatte sichtlich Spaß am World Women Snowsports Summit am Kitzsteinhorn.

A heartfelt thank you to the WWSO team for founding your organization and putting on this fantastic event. We're already looking forward to the next one!

Text: Johanna Sperrer

More information: https://wwso.pro