>>play video
  

Financing Report

When the Ethical Banking film team travelled from Bozen to Sterzing in mid-August, the thermometer showed 30 degrees Celsius. On this day, a very special customer visit awaited us in an unusual location – at least for summer: the ice hockey arena in Sterzing, home of the WSV Sterzing Broncos. There, surrounded by what felt like freezing temperatures, we met Nils Larch.
Nils uses a wheelchair, but this does not stop him from playing ice hockey. From an early age, he spent a lot of time at the stadium, as both his father Ulli and his brother Kevin played ice hockey for the WSV Sterzing. By chance, he once watched a training session of the Sledge Para Ice Hockey team and was immediately fascinated and impressed. He tried it out himself that very same day – and has since gone on to achieve an outstanding sporting career.
Today, the 22-year-old plays for the “South Tyrol Eagles”, where he is team captain and a multiple Italian champion. He is also a forward for the Italian national team and has already competed at several World Championships as well as two Paralympic Games (PyeongChang 2018 and Sochi 2014).
“There is nothing more special for an athlete than taking part in the Olympic Games. The Olympic motto really still applies: taking part is everything! Playing in front of so many people in packed stadiums is simply incredible – it is almost impossible to describe,” says Nils proudly.
The South Tyrol Eagles train twice a week in Neumarkt. Each training session lasts around two hours and includes warm-up exercises, fitness training as well as tactical discussions about game systems and line combinations.
Thanks to Ethical Banking financing through the Raiffeisen Partner Bank Wipptal, Nils can now travel quickly and independently from Sterzing to Neumarkt. The financing made it possible to purchase and adapt a new Skoda Octavia, including hand controls for the accelerator and brake.
His father Ulli is also delighted: “This purchase is a great relief for us and an important step towards an independent life for our son. He can now drive to training on his own and organise everything himself – from his sled and equipment to getting dressed.”
Of course, a training session together with Roland Furgler, head of Ethical Banking, could not be missed. “It was a great honour for me to skate a few laps on the ice with Nils and play some passes. What impressed me most was the strength in his arms and his incredible puck control.”
An autograph on the Ethical Banking T-shirt was the perfect way to end the visit, and Nils is already looking confidently towards the future: “One of my biggest dreams? The 2026 Paralympic Games – and hopefully the Para Ice Hockey National Team’s games taking place in South Tyrol.”