Hahnenkamm Article

[Tom Holtmann]

Interesting article on the spectacle of the Hahnenkamm.

https://www.newyorker.com/magazine/...l-at-the-heart-of-skiings-most-dangerous-race

 

[Tricia]

Its interesting to read something like this, having the benefit of talking to racers who've raced Hahnenkamm.
During the press conference at the Hall of Fame induction, Andrew Weibrecht was asked about his experience at the Hahnenkamm, he was clear about the unnerving feeling in the start gate.

From the article:
Hahnenkamm, in Kitzbühel, Austria—seemed to represent a whole new level of inhospitable.

 

[Ryan Dietrich]

If you haven't watched it, Streif is a great movie on the subject: https://www.redbull.com/int-en/tv/video/AP-1M8YN8CVN1W11/streif

I've met Steven Nyman (Olympic skier) a couple times (aka. the badass from Sundance). I asked him about it, and he agreed that the initial drop out of the gate is unnerving. He compared it to a particular double black diamond at Sundance that I would not consider doing under any conditions.

 

[Sibhusky]

Looking down the starting pitch one summer.

 

[Big J]

If you haven't watched it, Streif is a great movie on the subject: https://www.redbull.com/int-en/tv/video/AP-1M8YN8CVN1W11/streif

I've met Steven Nyman (Olympic skier) a couple times (aka. the badass from Sundance). I asked him about it, and he agreed that the initial drop out of the gate is unnerving. He compared it to a particular double black diamond at Sundance that I would not consider doing under any conditions.

I copied the link for this movie to watch later. I skied this wonderful ski area Kitzbuhel a couple of times in the late 1970s.

 

[James]

The Streif to me was overdone. I was actually dissapointed. But def watch it. These segments are from the Thin Line, which is on downhill. Def watch the part on Wengen too.
Chad Fleischer recounts his "Run of Runs" on the Streif. Classic.

This is a pretty good segment on the athletes' take on it.
Bode on his first time in the finish- " I was so fired up! I'd made it, I was alive."


One of the most devastating crashes ever. Canadian Brian Stemmle. Without helicopters, he'd likely be dead. Even with it was close. He sued for safety changes to the side netting.

 

[geepers]

The Streif to me was overdone. I was actually dissapointed.

The Streif and disappointed. Not two words that normally go together (unless it was a cancelled race).

Just sort of wondering what career you are/were involved in:
Special forces doing HALO drops into combat?
F1 driver from the 70s/80s?
MotoGP rider from any era?
Test pilot for the century series fighters?
Travis Pastrana's stunt double?

 

[James]

The Streif and disappointed. Not two words that normally go together (unless it was a cancelled race).

Just sort of wondering what career you are/were involved in:
Special forces doing HALO drops into combat?
F1 driver from the 70s/80s?
MotoGP rider from any era?
Test pilot for the century series fighters?
Travis Pastrana's stunt double?

Did you see the movie?

 

[Sibhusky]

I liked it so much I bought the movie.

 

[geepers]

Did you see the movie?

Yep, back in our summer. Enjoyed it.

Would absolutely recommend seeing the movie and would rate it a pretty good ski movie. Think it gives as reasonable view as these things can of what involvement in these things would be like. Competitors, organisers, families. Always a bit like peering into an aquarium trying to understand the life of a fish but I felt it had a good balance. (Yeah, that stick balancing thing was a bit overdone...). Is it a triffle giving to the sensational given they have to sell to non-skiers as well? No more than the films on motorcycle racing such Closer To The Edge (on the Isle of Man TT) or Faster and Fastest (on MotoGP).

 

[James]

Yeah, that stick balancing thing was a bit overdone...).

The subject doesn't need such stuff. Thus, dissapointed. It wasn't bad though.

 

[Tricia]

I really enjoyed The Streif. Perhaps its because I got to see it in a room with Daron Rahlves and others from the USST who added perspective.

 

[geepers]

I really enjoyed The Streif. Perhaps its because I got to see it in a room with Daron Rahlves and others from the USST who added perspective.

That's kind of like getting to see Top Gun on an aircraft carrier. Happened to a relative.

(Unfortunately TG is a terrible movie re air to air combat and Navy Fighter Weapons School. The planes are photogenic though.)

 

[James]

The Streif and disappointed. Not two words that normally go together (unless it was a cancelled race).

I would bet this year the 7 who DNF'd were dissappointed. Especially the 4 Austrians who likely had to be interviewed. But the Bolivian who finished last 11.14 sec out I bet was pretty psyched! He made it.
Stenmark was 10.72 sec back from first when he went down just trying to make it for points.
https://hahnenkamm.com/en/results/results-list-year-by-year/1981
http://medias1.fis-ski.com/pdf/2019/AL/0014/2019AL0014RLR0.pdf

I really enjoyed The Streif. Perhaps its because I got to see it in a room with Daron Rahlves and others from the USST who added perspective.

Well?? What did they say?

Wasn't it Daron who told about getting third place once and in the Austrian paper it's just the two Austrians on the podium and he's cut out of the photo?

 

[geepers]

I would bet this year the 7 who DNF'd were dissappointed. Especially the 4 Austrians who likely had to be interviewed. But the Bolivian who finished last 11.14 sec out I bet was pretty psyched! He made it.
Stenmark was 10.72 sec back from first when he went down just trying to make it for points.
https://hahnenkamm.com/en/results/results-list-year-by-year/1981
http://medias1.fis-ski.com/pdf/2019/AL/0014/2019AL0014RLR0.pdf

 

[James]

Phil Mahre (unless it was Steve, I have problems who's who) talked in the Hahnenkamm doc that he thought all downhills should be like it. Starts right away, let's get it on! Instead of some downhills where it's 30 sec before anything happens.

 

[Ryan Dietrich]

I really enjoyed The Streif. Perhaps its because I got to see it in a room with Daron Rahlves and others from the USST who added perspective.

Daron really made the movie for me. It is one of very few ski movies I've ever bought.

 

[geepers]

Phil Mahre (unless it was Steve, I have problems who's who) talked in the Hahnenkamm doc that he thought all downhills should be like it. Starts right away, let's get it on! Instead of some downhills where it's 30 sec before anything happens.

Ladies downhill at Garmisch they were 130 kph 10 seconds after leaving the gate. That's the one where they twice shaved one of the jumps during the race and it still wasn't enough - some competitors didn't get to run.

Yeah - ski like a girl

 

[Primoz]

@geepers are you sure it was Garmisch? I have been there many times on races (lately mostly men WC, which run new Kandahar course, while women are on old), including 2011 WCH, but I somehow don't see women course been really demanding. Start of women DH is normally on top or even on half of Troglhang, which is steep but short, and then it's followed by long flat part, that even I with backpack full of photo gear, always go straight down when going to position. So it's kinda impossible to imagine where they would hit 130km/h in first 10sec. Even later down the course, I don't remeber any real jump on women course. There's another steep section (Eishang) but that's it.

 

[Sibhusky]

I seem to remember watching a WC race this year where they were shaving a jump after the race had already started. I was thinking it was a bit unfair to those who had already gone, but I can't remember which race, only that is was sort early in the season. The racers were flying further than expected and maybe landing on the wrong kind of pitch? Can't remember much more than that.

Maybe this one? https://www.msn.com/en-us/sports/more-sports/austria’s-stephanie-venier-tames-rough-downhill-for-first-world-cup-win/ar-BBThuqP

"Racing was halted almost before it started in Germany today in the women’s World Cup downhill. When the second and third skiers out of the gate flew through the air off a jump further than the FIS race director felt was safe, crews were on the course making adjustments, shaving down the Seilbahn Stadl, or Gondola Barn, jump."