Tony Parker at the top with Tissot
The NBA star and European Basketball Champion Tony Parker played on the Jungfraujoch, where is the highest railway station in Europe. Ambassador of Tissot, the champion was faced with a team of Swiss Basket players and demonstrated his speed and agility at 3454 meters above sea level.
For the occasion, a big basketball court of 33.55m by 20.78m was put in place in order for the classic 5X5 game to take place on the Aletsch glacier. Faced with the fresh yet thin air of the mountain, the great athlete did not sway. Tony Parker has earned his reputation as one of the fastest and best players in the world. He was quick to pass the ball to his teammates and passed by his adversaries with agility at the Top of Europe.
After the basketball game Tony Parker took time to answer the media’s questions. He said: “I’m always up for new challenges, so when Tissot, my long-term partner suggested I play a match at the Top of Europe I thought it was a great opportunity to do something exceptional. We don’t often get to play in such extreme conditions.” Over 100 journalists from Asia, Europe, Australia, America and Switzerland were there to witness this exceptional event. A very special guest also took part in the event, Tissot’s Swiss Moto2 ambassador Thomas Lüthi.
The fact that Tony Parker, Tissot’s ambassador, came to the Jungfraujoch is no coincidence. Tissot and the Jungfrau Railways have a great relationship. Their renewed partnership emphasises their long-standing and successful alliance, which was initiated for the commemoration of the centenary of the construction of the railway’s tunnel. Last year, the CEO of Jungfrau Railways, Urs Kessler and Tissot President François Thiébaud took it to the next level by inaugurating the summit attraction ” the First Cliff Walk” and a Tissot shop on First, above Grindelwald. President of Tissot, François Thiébaud commented: “We are very proud of our partnerships. It is an honour and great pleasure for us to be able to share the beauty of such an extraordinary place as the Jungfraubahn, with the Swiss Alps and the fresh air of Switzerland with our loyal ambassador Tony Paker, and the talent of our ambassador, with our partner Jungfraubahn. At Tissot we are a big family and we love bringing everyone together, as we have done today.”
At the Jungfraujoch, several sports events have already taken place with world famous athletes. The basketball game with NBA star Tony Parker is the tenth edition of the event series. “It is always a challenge to bring internationally renowned Sport personalities to the Aletsch Glacier. We were delighted that our partner Tissot and their ambassador Tony Parker wanted to take part” the CEO of Jungfrau Railways, Urs Kessler said. After the event, he added:”After football, tennis, boxing, cricket and basketball, I can’t wait to see what world sport will be the next.”
Tony Parker is one of the most successful basketball players in history. He is a French professional basketball player currently with the San Antonio Spurs of the National Basketball Association (NBA). Parker has helped the Spurs win four NBA championships in 2003, 2005, 2007 and 2014.Employing his pace and high field goal percentage to great effect, Parker has been named to six NBA All-Star games, three All-NBA Second Teams, and an All-NBA Third Team. Parker was also the star of the French national basketball team until he resigned in 2016.