Freezing air, creaking snow under your feet and adrenaline flowing through your veins just before you hit the track. But also steaming tea, pleasant meetings with colleagues and their families, or meeting new people... These are also the corporate Winter Sports Games, which you can still sign up for. The first discipline, cross-country skiing, will start on Saturday at Kojšovská hoľa.

If you are in doubt about whether to participate, your doubts may be dispelled by an interview with Henrik Hric from the IT department, who will compete in cross-country skiing and giant slalom. In addition, as a die-hard fan, he is going to cheer on his colleagues at the hockey tournament in the Steel Arena. What motivates him to return to corporate sports games?
"I am attracted by meeting colleagues who have the same interests, a great atmosphere, and of course, the opportunity to compete and to test one's strength. For the first time, while still under VSŽ, I took part in a giant slalom in Plejsy. My wife brought me to cross-country skiing, and while she worked in ironworks, we competed together. Our children started skiing at preschool age and since then they have also been involved in races."
In 2023, the Hric family took three third places in the giant slalom - father, daughter and son, each in their own category. They are preparing for the Winter Games in the same line-up this year as well.
Henrik Hric takes care of the VPN connection of employees and contractors in our factory. After work, he needs to "disconnect", so to speak. "When I finish working with the computer and phone, I need to give my body movement. In winter, I ski, cross country and skate, and from spring to autumn I cycle. In between, I run, swim, paddle a paddleboard in the summer. Until recently, I often skated on inline skates. I take cross-country skiing as an additional sport for the winter and I train only for the winter games. If there is snow in Košice, the athletic oval of the Hotel Academy or the golf course at Alpinka is enough for me to prepare. Some winters I had to go to Jahodná or Kojšovská hoľa for snow. This year, I managed to cross country skiing with my former colleague from Hrhov to Lajoška and back. But it was more of an exception, because the days are short and the weekends are filled with a different schedule."

He also experienced the ravages of the weather at the Winter Games...
"Sometimes the weather is not good and there is not enough snow for racing even on "Kojšovka". We experienced the extreme once, when we went to the Erika cottage and could not race, because there was too much snow and it was not possible to prepare the track due to the strong wind. Then we took a walk to the weather station - waist-deep in snow, walking in a row behind each other. There was such a blizzard at the top that we had to hold hands so that we wouldn't be blown away. There are many memories, but I always remember the feeling of joy when I meet my colleagues on cross-country skis after a year."

You can still sign up for the Corporate Winter Games. Children of employees are also invited to Jahodná, the youngest will participate in competitions on skis, sledges or bobsleighs, or show off in masks at the carnival. The larger ones will fight for medals similarly to adults:

 Winter Sports Games 2026