Ski instructor Mike Hansler is a contestant in the Dutch dating show Winter Vol Liefde.

His patient smile is also known by the children of Tyrol's high plateau, who have learned to ski with him over the past ten years. Mike has not only been leading the children's department of the ski school for 4 years, he is also a ski instructor with heart and soul. However, he did not come to Seefeld for the snow or skiing. Unlike many of his compatriots, he did not vacation in Tyrol as a child. "I just wanted to live abroad for a while after graduating. It could have been Spain," he says with a laugh. But friends of his parents had taken over the Kracherlemoos restaurant and offered the entire family a job. "That’s how it became Seefeld."

Mike started his working life in the restaurant kitchen at the foot of the Geigenbühel. "From there, I watched the ski courses every day and always thought to myself, I want to do that too," says the now 34-year-old. In his sports studies in the Netherlands, he had taken skiing as a subject, learned it in Winterberg in the Hochsauerland (Germany), and completed the Dutch ski instructor training during his studies. "After a few weeks, I finally went to Werner Seelos and asked him if he needed another ski instructor." The answer – "you can start tomorrow" – changed everything. Mike hung up his kitchen apron and put on skis and ski boots instead. By now, his mother also works in the children's ski school, taking care of children off the slopes. Because in the Hansler family, only Mike can ski. He has completely fallen in love with it and would prefer to stay forever between Geigenbühel & Birkenlift, Gschwandtkopf and Rosshütte, inspiring all children to ski together with the ski school mascot, dragon Gizzy.

As a true Tyrolean ski instructor, Mike was naturally the first choice when it came to casting for the dating show Winter vol Liefde in ski-crazy Holland. This works similarly to the German-speaking counterpart "Bauer sucht Frau". However, instead of farmers, it’s Dutch people living abroad who are looking for true love, and the entire country is excited to follow along. The show has a million-viewer audience on live television and on the Dutch streaming giant Videoland, and its participants are stars. "It's crazy, I've had a coach preparing me for a year," says Mike with a modest smile. "Everyone says I have no idea what to expect. And that seems to be true." His phone has been ringing more frequently since late November, and by Christmas, everyone expects guests to book themselves extra in Seefeld just to see Mike live. A couple from season one was practically chased by fans in his Swiss home. "I'm not scared yet, but I am a little excited about what’s going to happen."

The filming in January lasted three weeks and was very intensive. "In the first week, I still tried to work at the ski school on the side, but after that, it was no longer possible." For twelve hours a day, everything revolved around getting to know the contestants and capturing the best, most authentic footage of them. "The film crew and I almost became like a family, but I was only allowed to speak with the selected ladies in front of the camera," he recalls. This way, the audience wouldn't miss any important moment or key sentence starting January 6, 2025.

Whether Mike has found the woman of his life, he of course could not reveal. There has been silence for almost a year about what happened in the winter of 2024. "It's extremely difficult," he admits. But the TV coach is doing a great job here. Now, just a few days before the first episode, the excitement is rising: Will a big hype break out on Tyrol's high plateau, will there soon be a new woman and ski instructor by Mike's side in Seefeld, or will his life return to a quieter pace from February on?