2024-01-10 06:31:31
For the first time since the World Cup final in 2002, three races in the Ski World Cup are scheduled to take place in Zauchensee from Friday.
“It’s perfectly ready. It snowed really well once more at the weekend, which of course caused some work for the piste crew, but we were happy to do it,” said Michael Walchhofer, head of the organizing committee, before the women’s speed triple.
The athletes will probably find a “compact slope” in Salzburg’s Pongau in fantastic weather, Walchhofer promised on ServusTV before the mammoth program with two Super-Gs (Friday, Sunday) and a downhill run (Saturday).
The 2003 downhill world champion is confident regarding the “concentrated program” that resulted from taking over a canceled Super-G in St. Moritz. “
We are now a very established World Cup organizer. “You can do it,” said Walchhofer, who has been working as “chief organizer” in his home country since 2020 in addition to his main job as a hotelier.
A “special race track”
Since 1980, Altenmarkt-Zauchensee has hosted races by the best female ski racers in the world at irregular intervals. The route was expanded for the 2002 final, and since 2007 the women have also started from the super steep start on the Gamskogel. Passages such as Hot Air, Jägersprung, Wasserschloss, Kälberloch and Schmalzleiten make the descent a case for complete athletes. Walchhofer: “The rapid changes between high speed and targeted technology make the race track so special.”
What’s new is that the Super-G has been extended to “Hot Air”, meaning the runners are around seven to eight seconds longer. Walchhofer also has an Austrian at the top of the bill. “Conny Hütter performed great in the first speed races. She has the very best conditions, especially in the Super-G I trust her not only to take the podium, but even to win,” said the Salzburg hotelier regarding the two-time podium finisher this season from Styria.
“Christl Scheyer has already won once in Zauchensee,” Walchhofer also recalled the sensational victory of a 22-year-old in 2017. Since then, the Vorarlberg native, who was also slowed down by injuries, has been waiting for a win, just as Zauchensee is waiting for an ÖSV home win.
Walchhofer would like to see a World Cup final once more
The men’s circus has only been a guest at the season finale in 2002. “Maybe it will be right once more. In Austria we have Kitzbühel for men, which is the perfect stage for a downhill skier,” said Walchhofer, the 2006 Streif winner, regarding possible men’s races on his doorstep. Best in the whole package? “A World Cup final would be attractive, we definitely have the opportunity for that in Zauchensee.”
22 years ago, Zauchensee organized the final battles for the balls together with Flachau. The neighboring community is once once more tasked with a women’s slalom this year. The night spectacle takes place next Tuesday (6 p.m./8:45 p.m.).
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