The Let's Grow team, winners of the Inno Challenge 2023 Audience Choice Award, embarked on a team-building adventure with huskies in Champéry, Wallis. Zifei, Sara, David, Noël, Thomas, and Nico engaged in activities like carting, Canicross, and bike joring, fostering camaraderie and unforgettable memories.
The alarm clock rang early this morning, signaling the start of an exciting adventure. At 7am sharp, we all gathered ath Zurich HB and embarked on a journey to an unforgettable day full of action.
Today, the Let's Grow team, composed of Zifei, Sara, David, Noël,Thomas, and Nico, who clinched the Audience Choice Award at the Inno Challenge 2023, is prioritizing team building. Mirco and me from ZHAW entrepreneurship are accompanying this trip. We've chosen activities involving huskies to offer the team a unique opportunity to bond and understand each other better in a setting far removed from the usual daily routines. Nevertheless, travel time is used effectively to conduct a communication workshop and delve into crucial discussions to make the project more widely known and find like-minded peers.
After a brief stop at the picturesque Lake Geneva, we arrived in Champéry, Wallis, near the French border. On the "husky territory", we were greeted by the enthusiastic trainer Marie, who introduced us to the fascinating world of huskies and a brief history lesson. These dogs, to whom we got up close, belong to both the Working and Beauty lines and are characterized by their strength, endurance, and friendly demeanor.
The first activity of the day was carting, where the huskies pulled a cart weighing 200kg (plus the weight of three people!), instead of a sled as in winter. It was an amazing feeling to be pulled through the landscape by these powerful animals.
After lunch, we continued to explore the area and went for a walk with the huskies, letting them set the pace as we struggled to keep up with their energetictempo. This form of rapid walking or jogging is known as Canicross.
Coffee and snacks were also provided to shorten the waiting time for the last activity – bike joring! There, the huskies were harnessed in front of a bicycle, and we accompanied them at their rapid pace. To get a feel for what it's like to be pulled on a bike, we first practiced as a team, with each person taking turns being the "dog."
Overall, it was a day full of adventure, action, and unforgettable moments with the fascinating huskies of the Alps. The strength and energy of these animals, combined with the beauty of nature and the camaraderie within the group, made this day an unforgettable experience. We said goodbye with smiles on our faces and hope that it was as special an experience for the dogs as it was for us.
