[Jumpin’ Into Greatness] In spring 2024, Ashton Salwan set off solo for Switzerland’s iconic Jumpin’ facility, stepping into an international aerials training environment that would challenge his independence, sharpen his skiing, and expand his view of what was possible.
Switzerland Changed Everything
In May 2024, Ashton Salwan made a decision that would become a turning point in his young freestyle aerials career: he left the familiar comforts of home for a bold solo venture into the Swiss countryside — where cows outnumber cars and world-class aerialists share the same ramps.
His destination was the storied Jumpin’ Freestyle Company in Mettmenstetten, Switzerland, an established international training destination for freestyle aerials.
Nestled within a working Swiss agricultural school just a short bus ride from the Jumpin’ water ramps, Ashton’s three-month home away from home offered a cozy dorm room overlooking rolling emerald pastures and hearty meals that fueled long days of training.
His daily rhythm quickly settled into one of discipline and steady progression — early wakeups, focused ramp sessions, countless water landings, and conditioning work designed to build both physical capacity and consistency.
Every part of the routine had to be earned. And every challenge became part of the experience.
Rewarding in So Many Ways
That summer brought more than technical refinement. It demanded independence, adaptability, and a willingness to become comfortable far beyond what was familiar.
“Switzerland changed everything.
It was the first time I was truly on my own — new country, new training group, new culture, new expectations.
I arrived hoping to become a better aerial skier, but I left with confidence earned through challenge, friendships that span the globe, and a clearer belief in what I’m capable of.”
— Ashton Salwan
Over those three months, Ashton gained real independence, sharpened his mindset, built confidence, and had the opportunity to train alongside some of the strongest international athletes he had encountered in the sport.
The summer squad read like a global all-star roster:
- UKRAINE: Dmytro Kotovskyi, Anhelina Brykina, Maksym Kuznietsov, Oksana Yatsiuk, Oleksandr Okipniuk, Diana Yablonska, Volodymyr Kushnir, Yan Havriuk and Zakhar Maksymchuk
- GERMANY: Emma Weiss
- SWITZERLAND: Nicolas Gygax, Noe Roth and Pirmin Werner
Lessons Learned, Friendships Forever
Together, the international training group created an environment built around repetition, progression, and mutual respect — one where mistakes became lessons, breakthroughs were shared, and every session offered another opportunity to learn.
This was more than skill-building. It was immersion.
There was guidance from experienced coaches, camaraderie between competitors, and the daily experience of training beside athletes whose careers had already reached some of the sport’s biggest stages. For Ashton, being part of that environment offered something difficult to replicate: the opportunity to observe, adapt, ask questions, and better understand what competing internationally would require.
The summer culminated with Ashton’s debut at the FIS Swiss Freestyle Aerials Masters, an annual international water-ramp competition at Jumpin’ dating back to 1996.
Amid the rain, backed by cheers from the athletes and coaches who had shared the summer with him, Ashton stepped onto the ramp and competed — capping a training block that had changed far more than his skiing.
A Launchpad for What Comes Next
From the quiet rhythm of rural Swiss life to the electrifying energy of the Jumpin’ water ramps, the summer of 2024 became a turning point in Ashton Salwan’s journey.
Switzerland gave him more than high-level training. It gave him perspective, independence, and a deeper understanding of what it takes to compete internationally. It required him to stand on his own, adapt to an unfamiliar environment, and measure himself alongside some of the best aerialists in the world.
Every session demanded focus. Every jump required trust. And every challenge contributed to the athlete he was becoming.
Looking back, the greatest takeaway was not one competition, one result, or one technical breakthrough. It was the realization that growth often begins the moment comfort ends.
Switzerland was not simply another stop on the calendar. It was a place where Ashton began to see the sport — and his own path through it — differently.
One bold decision had taken him halfway around the world.
What he brought home would carry much farther.
And in many ways, that journey is still taking flight.
