Kitzbuehel and the alpine World Cup 2008

Ski2b Redaktion 26.08.2007 10:45 Uhr

The Hahnenkamm Race Weekend in Kitzbuehel (AUT) is a classic in the Ski World Cup. This year will be the 67th occurrence of the World Cup event. Hahnenkamm (in Tyrol, Austria), Streif ("downhill") and Ganslern ("slalom") are world-famous terms in alpine skiing. The world's best ski racers annually compete in the super-G, downhill and slalom. According to tradition, the winner of the Hahnenkamm is decided in the combined. Each year, thousands of spectators make a pilgrimage to the slope and celebrate with a first-class ski party. The Kitzbuehel legend continues to attract the masses.

Kitzbuehel 2007 in Retrospect
Last year, super G an downhill had to be cancelled due to warm temperatures and lack of snow. Instead, two slaloms were held on the Ganslern-slope. Here the Swede Jens Byggmark was the big winner. He won both of the slaloms and celebrated his victories. In the first slalom he beat Mario Matt of Austria and Germany's Alois Vogl who joined Byggmark on the podium. Then, in the second slalom, Byggmark won again ahead of Mario Matt and Manfred Mölgg.

Event Schedule for Kitzbuehel 2008

Friday, january 18th, 2008:
Men's Super G

Saturday, january 19th, 2008:
Men´s Downhill

Sunday, january 20th, 2008:
Men´s Slalom

We will of course report all races via our live ticker.

The sport resort Kitzbuehel – Seeing and being seen
Kitzbuehel lies in the Kitzbuehler Alps and is easily accessible from the nearby larger towns and cities, such as Innsbruck, (100km), Salzburg, (80km), or Munich, (120km). It boasts a population of 8,600 and has accomodation for 5,600 guests at it’s disposal. The town lies between 800 and 2,000 metres above sea level. Every year celebrities from Austria and other nations gather for the Hahnenkamm races, after the motto, see and be seen. Between the races the guests use the time to purchase luxuries, at exorbitant prices, from the many shops and stores. During this time no party wishes remain unfulfilled.

Race superlatives
Since the 1930/31 season Kitzbuehel has been the setting for the classic alpine disciplines: downhill, slalom and combined, as well as the additional annual races like the sprint-downhill and the super-G. The race courses ‘Streif’ and ‘Ganslern’ are prepared entirely with the artificial-snow machine, and have been since 1993. Kitzbuehel offers the highest amount in prize money. The expenses for this event are enormous. The yearly costs for security arrangements and service Personell on the course, amount, on average, to about 500,000 Euros. Since 1967 the FIS races in Kitzbuehel are staged every year. On race days there are between 800 and 1,000 people around the Hahnenkamm who work either directly or indirectly for the event.

The history of the Hahnenkamm – Tradition pure
Kitzbuehel’s winter-sport union has existed since the 15th of December 1902. On that day a certain Franz Reisch met with like-minded people to establish the winter-sport union Kitzbuehel. At that time the club consisted of twenty-two active and fifteen supporting members. More than a hundred years later the membership has grown to nearly 5,000. The history of the Kitzbueheler skiing club is coupled with that of the Hahnenkamm. With the announcement of their candidacy to host the Austrian skiing championships, and the subsequent establishment of the club, the pioneers at the start of the twentieth century laid the foundation for Kitzbuehels rise to prominence as a world-famous winter-sport location. The Kitzbueheler skiing club, as organizers of the international Hahnenkamm races in the winter of 2002/03, reviewed their 100 year history with pride. The outstanding features, looking back, are the sporting achievements of 49 world championship and Olympic medals from club members, as well as the organization of the Hahnenkamm race as the annual international highlight in Kitzbühel.

The Hahnenkamm courses – The scenes of action
Kitzbuehel offers three different courses for the downhill, super-G and slalom events: The ‘Streifalm’ for the super-G, the, very well known, ‘Streif’ for the downhill and the ‘Ganslern’ for the slalom.

Downhill course: ‘Streif’
The start is at an altitude of 1,665m and is infamous for it’s extreme steepness. It takes a good portion of courage and self-confidence to tackle this course at full speed. The steepest part, at the beginning of the Mausefalle, (mousetrap), has a gradient of 85% and the athletes make jumps there of up to 80 metres. The ‘Seidlalm’ jump was added to the middle passage in the winter of 1994. Carving specialists have an advantage here. The dramatic final phase comes at a time when the athlete’s strength is beginning to fail. First of all the jump on the ‘Hausbergkante’, then a difficult left-hand curve with a large wave in the slope. An icy traverse, the finishing slope with it’s compression, where speeds of up to 140 km/h are possible, and then over the ‘Rasmusleitn’ and across the finishing line. Hearts beat faster here and the winners are are greeted by thousands of enthusiastic fans – The end of one of the most demanding downhill courses in the world.

Downhill: ‘Streif’
Start: 1,665m
Finish: 802m
Vertical drop: 863m
Course length: 3,312m
Average gradient: 26%
Max./min. gradients: 85% / 2%
FIS homologation number: 5144/85/00

Super-G course: ‘Streifalm’
This course was inaugarated in 1995 and has the reputation since then of being one of the most arduous super-G slopes on the circuit. At the starting house one has an excellent view of Kitzbuehel. It’s one of the most strenuous and demanding courses. At the finishing line the athletes are exhausted and have reached their limit. This is generally an exciting competition with a large number of favourites and top performances from the racers, to the joy of the spectators on the slope.

Super-G: ‘Streifalm’
Start: 1,383m
Finish: 802m
Vertical drop: 581m
Course length: 2,160m
Average gradient: 28%
Max./min. gradients: 70% / 8%
FIS homologation number: 5979/489/00

Slalom course: ‘Ganslern’
The ‘Ganslernhang’ is a very diverse slope. Because of the contrasting conditions on the course, the riders have to adapt their style and speed in order to keep pace with the constantly changing situations. After the start by the ‘Hinterganslern’, a rim forces a measured reduction in speed. After completing the middle passage the athlete has to show a perfect ride over the traverse, where the gates aren’t set rhythmically. The final combination of gates by the ‘Hohenegg’ is a test of the racer’s mental strength, then the support from the spectators pushes him to the very limit. A marvellous experience.

Slalom: ‘Ganslern’
Start: 991m
Finish: 811m
Vertical drop: 180m
Course length: 560m
Average gradient: 34%
Max./min. gradients: 70% / 20%
FIS homologation number: 5856/366/00

Organization and Contact
Kitzbueheler Ski Club
Hinterstadt 4
6370 Kitzbuehel
AUT

Telefon: +43 (5356) 623 01
Fax: +43 (5356) 719 89
E-Mail:
Website: www.hahnenkamm.com