Surfing and skiing may appear to be at entirely different ends of the sporting spectrum but are actually very similar in terms of their emotional impact. Surfers and skiers report the same sensation of time slowing and stretching while spectators have the exact opposite impression. Sea and mountains are such touchstones that Breitling has chosen to flank surfing champions Kelly Slater and Roberto D’Amico as well as alpine skier Federica Brignone who was the first Italian woman to win the sport’s General World Cup. Skiing and surfing are also in tune with the environment. Now Brignone and Breitling have joined forces to make their voices heard on the subject. Federica’s “Traiettorie Liquide” project aims to raise awareness about sustainability, while Breitling, a longstanding warrior on that front, has made her part of its Champions Squad. Now she tells us why.
What kind of relationship do you have with time?
In skiing, performance are measured in hundredths of a second and you don’t have anyone else out there on the snow to compare with. So time has always been real thing to beat for me. But in everyday life, time is a luxury. I never have enough because I always have so many things I want to do.
Such as?
Other sports. I adore tennis, enduro mountain biking and climbing. I also love all water sports and lately I’ve started really getting into surfing and kite surfing. Deep down, snow is just solid water….
Tell us about your relationship with Breitling…
We share the same values in terms of environmental protection, sustainability and social responsibility. But we also share a love of sport and an awareness of its importance. My “Traiettorie Liquide” project brought us together.
Tell us about the project, please.
It’s a project born out of my passion for nature and especially water. I had seen photos of models taken by Giuseppe La Spada underwater and I liked them. Giulia Mancini, my manager, called him to propose an incredible project that have never been done before with a skier, and Giuseppe accepted with enthusiasm. Then we realised that those photos might be a good way of raising awareness of the sea and water in general. So ever since, in summer, when I don’t have to train so hard, we do a new episode of Traiettorie. Now we are on the fifth.
The first was in Lipari. The underwater shoot in the Aeolian Islands was a unique experience. Skiing the Big Blue was magical. For the second Traiettoria, I dived surrounded by plastic to highlight how sea creatures must feel in the same situation. The third was on Lake Garda. For the fourth, I went up to the Forni Glacier which has shrunk to half its size over the last century because of rising temperatures. This year I took some kids to clean up the River Noce. This project is an important way of getting across a message I am very passionate about because a tiny part of the primordial ocean is still inside each one of us. And that’s why we have to preserve it. Our mission is to make as many people as possible aware of that. Using my fame to achieve that is the least I can do.
How important is Breitling’s support in all this projects?
Very because it helps me get across the message which they also believe in very strongly. Breitling’s focus on the world of the sea is also expressed through partnerships that underscore the brand’s green soul and embody a true commitment to sustainable development. The Econyl straps made from recycled fishing nets and the new recycled packaging say a lot about their commitment.
Then, having a companion as reliable as my SuperOcean Automatic 36 on my wrist on the pistes or the new Superocean from the Capsule Collection Heritage 57 Pastel Paradise Capsule Collection in summer is incredibly important (available in five pastel colours with Super-LumiNova® hour hands and indices, ed.’s note). Not to mention the incredible elegance of my green Chronomat, versatile and with a strong character, a must on my wrist with the most sophisticated looks as well as with the most casual and sporty outfits, a real expression of style.
What’s been your best win so far?
Everyone expects me to say winning the General World Cup. But I think it is getting to the number one spot yet still stay me. I go out, I see my friends, I do sports I like. Sure, training does take up most of my time and there a lot of things I can’t do but I’ve never been someone who’s put their life on hold to achieve a result and I’m still me.
