Three men, a thousand kilometres, fourteen days and a good cause

We did it! As they passed through Zurich, we managed to meet up with our three young “Gate2Castle” adventurers from the Valais, to see what makes them tick.

As you can imagine, for the Swiss, there’s a lot that sets each canton apart — especially language. In fact, when it comes to the Valais, it’s about dialect as much as anything else! To make the point, we took this opportunity to video our three big-hearted heroes as they struggled to pass our “Zürideutsch” test! Maybe you can do better?

Here's the result!

It's a huge undertaking. And Syntax Translations CEO Yvan Zimmermann is sure about one thing: “Physically, they’ll certainly be pushing the limits.” The former ice-hockey player knows what he’s talking about, and in broad Valais dialect goes on to say: “When it comes down to it, we folk from the Valais always have each other’s backs, especially when we’re outside the canton. In the Valais, we often say that envy and the wind are the oldest inhabitants. But faced by the outside world, we will join forces again without so much as a thought. We are special. The passing centuries and the influence of our neighbours have made us so.” Yvan Zimmermann knows what it’s like to be away from home. It was seventeen years ago that he left his native Valais to settle in the city of Zurich. “But here, too, Valais natives will seek out and support each other. In the beginning, it was certainly a change. In the Valais, I don't sit alone at a table for more than five minutes before someone comes over. That doesn’t happen in other cantons.”

Which is the reason why the Syntax CEO didn’t hesitate for a second when friends asked him to back the “Gate2Castle” project. “At Syntax, there’ll be no more Christmas presents for our customers. Instead, once a year, we’ll be supporting a charitable organization. The three runners that we are sponsoring this year are raising funds for the “Shooting Star" children's charity. Their goal is to collect money for children with serious illnesses, injuries or special needs. Donations will go towards making extraordinary things happen for these young people, creating unforgettable moments. Support for this kind of organization fits perfectly into our corporate culture.”

Each day, the three young men will run an average of 70 kilometres. How are they going to manage that? “Kevin, Fabian and Joel will certainly be up against their limits. But all three have been in training since last year. And they — all from the Valais, of course — are an ambitious lot. What’s more, the trio can count on high-profile sponsors for each stage, and that's bound to spur them on.”

So what does Yvan Zimmermann wish for the team over these fourteen days? “Exciting moments, successful stages, and quite simply, a great adventure. It’s an inspiration that they are doing something for other people. In today’s society, that counts for a lot.”

Press release (29 July 2017)