Grindelwald, Switzerland March 26th, 2011
The Butterfly Effect Switzerland held the first ever Butterfly Effect Snow Edition. It was the first event of The 2011 Butterfly Effect World Tour. In the past the event has always been held in the water with sports such as surfing, windsurfing, kitesurfing, and stand-up paddling, but now it has expanded into snowboarding, skiing and telemarking. The Butterfly Effect encourages women of all ages, level and abilities to stay active and healthy and, most of all, fun doing it!

40 women from Hawaii, Mexico, UK, Germany, Netherlands, France and Switzerland gathered in Grindelwald-First to share their passion of snow sports. The women ranged in age from 16 to 68 and the levels ranged from novice to professional. To share this common passion of sports and to support and encourage each other is what The Butterfly Effect represents. The day offered park, pipe, and/or slope clinics, lunch, gift bags provided by the sponsors, and a non-competitive downhill run. The women snowboarded, skied, or telemarked the 1,500m run from the top of First - Oberjoch to the Grindelwald town. The event sponsors of The Butterfly Effect Switzerland were Jungfrau, White Elements Grindelwald, Backdoor Shop, Fanatic Snowboards, Suddenrush, Dakine, Green Fix, Berggasthaus First-Genepi, Pura Vida Yoga, Matiko, Avocado Bar, Force Line Surfboards, Wings Hawaii, Bäckerel Wüthrich AG Gletscherbeck, and Bäckerel-Konditorei-Café Ringgenberg.

The event’s sponsor Jungfrau and White Elements Grindelwald in the Jungfrau Region make a unique and fascinating place to visit. In the winter there are over 200kms of ski slopes to explore, 100kms of footpaths, ice rinks and a train trip to the highest train station in Europe, Top of Europe.

A worldwide water movement, expands into snow sports, promoting women in from the ocean to the mountains, The Butterfly Effect brings women together in a non-competitive gathering celebrating community, raises awareness for the ocean and snow, organizes beach clean ups, and encourages women of all ages to get involved in sports.

The event is fun and non-competitive, and it aims to instill self-confidence and a love for the ocean and snow in women of all skill levels. Each event includes safety and stretching sessions, as well as food and gear from local sponsors, clinics, group riding, and fund-raising for local charities.

The Butterfly Effect. began in Hawaii in 2007. The founder, Tatiana Howard, is an avid water women who enjoys windsurfing, surfing, kite surfing, stand-up paddle boarding, and tow in surfing. This is the 1st year the event took place with snow sports Since its inception, it has flown to Brazil, New Zealand, France, Hood River Oregon, Dominican Republic, Germany, Italy, Israel, Tahiti, Fiji, and Australia. The founder believes that water and snow sports provide a healthy and fun lifestyle that give those who participate in them great happiness and self-confidence. She has been fortunate to be involved in water sports and snow and wants to share and instill the lessons she has learned with women worldwide.

“Water sports have empowered, and inspired me to live out my hopes and dreams and giving back to surf communities worldwide is a passion. Two years ago I was introduced to snow sports and have received the same gratitude for snowboarding that I found with surfing. I hope to help expand and share with many the same kind of happiness that snowboarding and water sports has given me. This event is a wonderful opportunity for women to come together and use the universal power of sport to make a positive difference!� said Tatiana Howard, founder of The Butterfly Effect.