Lake Uri: Balz Müller & Yentel Caers conquer the first Föhn storm of the year - the best pictures
Julian Wiemar
· 08.01.2025
Balz Müller emphasises "The days we live for" several times on his Instagram channel, as the first Föhn storm of the year swept across Lake Uri in Switzerland at the start of the week, causing it to boil. The foehn is a warm downslope wind that can reach enormous speeds on the leeward side of the Alps, where it blows over the mountains. This repeatedly provides surfers on the northern edge of the Alps with unique storm conditions on the various lakes, with relatively mild temperatures.
The most notorious jet is the north-south orientated part of the Swiss Lake Lucerne between Ingenbohl and Flüelen, also known as Lake Uri. This is where the Reuss valley flows towards the lake in the exact direction of the overflow from the Alps, allowing the Föhn wind to really blow through. And this is exactly where the world-class freestylers Balz Müller and Yentel Caers met for a session with the talented photographer Boris Ackermann.
The spot offers a very impressive place to take photos with the snow-covered mountains, the flying water and the many colours. (Boris Ackermann)
Even if it wasn't the strongest foehn storm in history, it was easily enough for sail sizes with a three in front of the decimal point - the fat moves of Balz and Yentel in combination with the special landscape made for breathtaking pictures that we don't want to withhold from you.
When courtship jumped around me and it got crazy, I couldn't hold back any longer. (Yentel Caers)
Yentel Caers and Boris Ackermann on the storm day
Yentel Caers, who travelled from his Italian adopted home on Lake Como for the Föhn session in Switzerland, reports the following:
"Lake Uri is between where I live in Italy and Balz's home town. So it was the perfect place to meet up. A week ago, we had already seen in the forecast that a southerly current was approaching and arranged to go storm chasing. Then Boris suddenly contacted us because he had seen the same epic forecast and wanted to take photos. Having a professional photographer with us to capture the moments made it even more exciting. When I woke up early on the day of the storm and it was raining full force where I live in Italy, I knew it was going to be the perfect day for a foehn storm. Because that's what you need to get the foehn wind going over in Switzerland: bad weather (Congestion weather situation, note from E.) on the south side of the Alps and good weather on the other side. After passing through the long Gotthard tunnel, it was a sunny 14 degrees. Balz and I were immediately fired up to rig our 3.3 sails with the smallest equipment we had with us. I really enjoy surfing on Lake Uri - the surrounding landscape is crazy cool. When Balz jumped around me and it got crazy, I couldn't hold back any longer and went into full "send mode". The safest moves with so much wind were probably shifty and pushloop - everything else was a bit out of control."
Photographer Boris Ackermann is also delighted:
"About a week ago, I got in touch with Balz to see when we could start a photo session together again. And lo and behold... the forecast got better and better. He had just finished his holiday and had come home. And where Balz is, Yentel is often not far away. I think you can see from the pictures how much fun the boys had together on the water. The wind was really banging. The spot is really great and with the snow-covered mountains, the flying water and the many colours, it's a very impressive place to take photos. Especially when the guys put on a show like this. The "Freestyle Conference " in the winter edition, hehe."
