Rising Up: Marie Kuhlmann

At just 14 years old, Germany’s Marie Kuhlmann is already making waves in the snowboard scene. After a breakout spring – including a win at the Rookie Fest and a second place at The Uninvited Euro Open – she opened the new winter with a statement victory at Rock a Rail Hintertux. We caught up with Marie to talk about her rapid progression, life as a young rider balancing school and snow, and where she dreams of taking her snowboarding next.

Interview by Alba Pardo

You have started the season winning the first Rock a Rail event of the winter in Hintertux. How does it feel to start the season like that? After finishing so strong last spring with the Rookie Fest win and second at the Uninvited?

It felt really good to start the season like this, and I really wasn’t expecting it. I was stoked that nearly all of my tricks worked out that day and I got on well with the setup. After the Uninvited Euro Open in spring, I just tried to carry that energy forward and keep progressing. This win in Hintertux definitely gives me some extra motivation for the season.

When did you first start snowboarding, and what made you fall in love with the sport?

I first got on a snowboard when I was four, and started hitting the park around nine. Snowboarding’s just always been a part of my life. My whole family is snowboarding and my dad was a pro snowboarder just like my godfather, so we spent a lot of time up in the mountains. What finally makes me love snowboarding so much is riding with different people, learning new tricks, the community vibe and always having something new to try or improve on.

Rails seem to be your strength, but you also do slopestyle. Tell us what you love about jibbing so much and where you’d like to take your riding next.

I actually like rails just as much as kickers, but with rails you can ride no matter the weather or conditions. There are so many creative setups where you can always try something new, and it’s super inspiring to see what other riders are doing on them. I’ve still got a lot of room to improve there, and that’s what I love about it – endless possibilities. I like being able to ride with confidence and stay consistent, no matter the setup. Right now, there are a few tricks I’d like to start doing on bigger rails too.

As a young female snowboarder, what challenges do you face in the sport – and what supports or inspires you the most?

The biggest challenge right now is probably that I’m still too young to have a driving license and am tied to school :). I would really love to be able to spontaneously drive up the mountain on a day when conditions are good, without having to arrange everything in advance. But hopefully that will be possible in a few years. Other than that, I’m really grateful for the support of my sponsors. And for having family and friends who support me in every way.

How do you prepare mentally and physically before big competition events?

Honestly, nothing special. I train as usual in the days leading up to a contest, do a proper warm-up before my run, and visualize my runs or tricks. When I’m at the start, I usually get into kind of a tunnel and can block everything else out. Especially at jib events, the vibe among the girls is super motivating, and that really helps a lot.

Snowboarding takes you to many places. Which event or location (so far) has been your favourite – and what made it special? And also tell us about how it is to be a snowboarder in Germany. Where and who do you ride with?

Let’s put it this way, I haven’t travelled that much yet. So far, I’ve only been to Austria and Switzerland. That makes the trip to the Uninvited Invitational 2025 in Park City my absolute highlight so far. And there’s still so much to discover. I’d love to go snowboarding in places like New Zealand, Finland or even Japan. Let’s see what else comes up.

And what’s it like to be a snowboarder in Germany? Outside of the snowboard bubble, for example, friends or teachers don’t really understand much of what I do. They’ll ask me what kind of contest I’ve competed in, or I’ll explain a trick using videos, or what a landing bag is. But all of that happens more on the side, and I actually like having completely different topics to talk about with my friends. The great thing is that even though we live in Germany, we’re really close to the Austrian border, so there are plenty of awesome parks and resorts nearby where I often ride with my German team. And luckily, Banger Park is also very close, which makes it perfect for summer training.

Outside of snowboarding, what are your hobbies or things you enjoy doing to relax?

This is probably going to sound like a typical girl answer… but I love hanging out with my friends, cooking together or going shopping. Besides that, I like drawing, climbing, and in the summer I like swimming in one of our local lakes or going out on my stand-up paddleboard.

What are your goals for this season: in snowboarding and also personally?

I notice how I am becoming more and more independent, getting to know more people on the mountain, making contact more quickly and easily, and improving my skills on the rails and kickers. That’s exactly what I want this season. Just snowboarding. Just having a good time. Just being allowed to develop. Because at the end of the day, I’m 14 years old and just like other people my age.