Take a deep breath and jump.

A team event with depth — literally. In early September, Contoweb headed to Dornbirn for a day of canyoning. It was a day spent in wetsuits, deep within the gorge, navigating narrow rock passages and cold water, and taking jumps that looked far less daunting from below than they did from above.

Contoweb Team Event

One direction. Down.

It was a cool, rainy day in early September. Our journey took us just across the Austrian border — and then a good deal further downwards. Equipped with wetsuits and helmets, we descended into a gorge near Dornbirn alongside professional guides. Ahead of us lay narrow rock passages, slick wet stones, water, and the odd spot where we found ourselves wondering: how the hell do we get through this? Canyoning — for anyone unfamiliar — follows a fairly simple script: you see what lies ahead and have to find a way through it. Or more precisely: down. Sometimes by climbing, sometimes by sliding, sometimes on a rope. And sometimes, well, jumping. Close your eyes, take a deep breath — and go.

Stick with it. Make the descent. Do it as a team.

One person would go first while the others watched, cheered them on, and followed. With every stretch we conquered, the joy of this wet adventure grew. The grey sky? Eventually, it didn’t matter at all. No one got cold either — the wetsuits did their job brilliantly, and gave us a unique team look. It was fascinating to observe the natural dynamics that unfolded as we made our way through the gorge. You wait for the next person to scale to the bottom, offer a hand, help with the next step, and provide encouragement whenever a glance into the depths made a teammate gasp for air. By the time we were all drifting about in the water together, one thing was clear: the initial nerves and leap out of our comfort zones had been worth it.

Afterwards: warming up by the grill

All that rock, water, and daring activity work up an appetite. After the canyoning, we headed to Fabrice's place, where the day wound down with a barbecue. Dry, content, and with plenty to talk about — the first tales from the gorge were told. What remains from this day? Lots of shared laughter, a few conquered fears, and the realization that together we can manage anything. Not just successful digital projects, but Austrian gorges, too.

A huge thank you to the guides from canyoningguides.at for steering us through safely — and to the team, who bravely took part and took the plunge. You all are amazing!