History of the Audi FIS Ski World Cup Flachau

It was a great pleasure combined with a lot of emotions as Flachau was awarded the first World Cup race, a GS for the Ladies in December 1993. And it's exaclty like that now, still 3 decades later, when everyone works together to make a perfect sporting event with a special flair.

1993, 22nd of December

1st World Cup race: GS in Flachau. Weather pixies made the race course extremely selective. The Slovenian Katja Koren with the start number 66 won her first and only World Cup race. 1994: Construction of the new finishing house.

1994

Construction of the new finishing house.

1995, 10th of January

©  (c) Doris Wild / Flachau Tourismus, Audi FIS Ski World Cup Flachau

Two races were planned, to run a Ladies GS and the Mens GS on the same day on the same course. Unfortunately the weather didn't co-operate and only the Ladies Race could be carried out. In the Ladies Renate Götschl from Steyr provided the first Austrian win in Flachau.

1996, 6th and 7th of Januray

The first Mens World Cup races were held where ths signs were looking good for the Italian ski start Alberto Tomba. In the GS he took second place behind the Swiss man Urs Kaelin before winning the slalom himself on the following day. In this Wolrd Cup race a new star appeared on the world cup horizon. A local skier from Flachau called Hermann Maier achieved great times as a forerunner in both runs in the GS. Which opened the door for him to the ÖSV European Cup Team and shorty afterwards into the ÖSV World Cup team.

1999, 10th of January

Mens GS and the first Austrian win for the men, Benjamin Reich beat the Swiss skier Michael von Grünigen. There was space for the local fighter Hermann Maier who also managed to get onto the podium in third place and ensured a festive mood for the numerous local fans. In that year there was also the World Cup arena with a large tent village and an external event by the super star DJ Bobo.

2001, 14th of January

Ladies Slalom and combined with downhill. Janica Kostelic won both the slalom and the combined.

2002

The old Kehlhaus was taken down, the World Cup run became wider.

2002, 9th and 10th of March

World Cup final together with Altenmarkt / Zauchensee. The absolute highlight: 4 races were held in 2 days, both the Mens and Ladies GS and slalom. Die Speedbewerbe gingen die Tage vorher bereits in Zauchensee über die Bühne. The warm weather with rain and temperatures up to 18°C were a special challenge for the Flachau race committee but with phenomenal commitment all competitions could be mastered successfully. The World Cup overall victory went to Austria both in the Mens and the Womens, Michaela Dorfmeister and Stephan Eberharter won the big crystal ball. Off piste: Victoria Beckham and DJ Ötzi provided get the crowd in the mood.

2004

Moved the Neureith hut, improved the Hermann Maier World Cup run.

2004, 3rd and 4th of January

Mens GS and Slalom in Flachau. Benjamin Reich won his 2nd GS since 1999 on the Hermann Maier World Cup run. The Finn Kalle Palander won the slalom. Comprehensive supporting events included DJ Bobo, Michael Patrick Simoner and Lutricia McNeal.

2004, 21st and 22nd December

Flachau was again the venue for the FIS alpine ski world cup. The good technical snowmaking as well as the natural snow enabled gorgeous pictures of Flachau to be broadcast to the world. The Canadian Thomas Grandi won the GS, the Italian Girgio Rocca won the slalom. Due to the date, the accompanying events were also designed in a festive mood. A concert by the Nockalm quintet set the mood.

2010, 10th of January

For the first time a night-race was held with floodlights in Flachau. A new challenge for the experienced world-cup team was the lighting for the Hermann Maier World Cup run. A partially mobile floodlight system was especially erected for this. The supporting events were an autograph hour by the ski stars in the BBF-centre as well as a spectacular motocross show. Marlies Schild won the event and received the first "snow space princess" award. Flachau was awarded the "most press-friendly world cup location" as part of the OC Award.

2011, 11th of Januray

The Flachau snow space Ladies Ski night was held for the second time. The new HD ready floodlit system ensured the best conditions for skiers, spectators and TV teams alike. Perfect pictures of Flachau were broadcast to the whole world at prime time. With the same overal time the German Maria Riesch and the Finn Tanja Poutiainen won - so this time there were two "snow space princesses". Flachau was awarded the "most athletic friendly world cup venue" by the OC Award in 2011.

2011, 20th and 21st of December

Flachau was awarded the two world cup competitions which were cancelled in Levi (Finland) at short notice. Thus Flachau could hold both the Ladies and Mens competition for the first time again since the World Cup final. Just like in 2010 the Salzburgerin Marlies Schild won again. In the Mens Ivica Kostelic won for the second time in Flachau since 2002.

2013, 15th of January

The Audi FIS Ski World Cup Ladies Night Slalom in Flachau was s great skiing festival yet again. The worlds best slalom ladies offered extremely exciting ski racing on the Hermann Maier World Cup run which was exclusively designed with lots of transitions and crests. In front of 11,500 enthusiastic ski fans the young American Mikaela Shiffrin won from Frida Hansdotter (SWE) and Tanja Poutiainen (FIN). The previous evening the jubilee race for 20 years of Ski World Cup a charity event took place to promote upcoming and talented young skiers from Salzburg with a top-class starting field.

2014, 14th of January

The Audi FIS Ski World Cup Ladies Night Slalom presented itself as a true floodlit spectacular. 14,300 enthusiastic spectators, 2,300 of those on the newly-equipped stage with its own sound system ensured a fantastic atmosphere. The winner on the podest was Mikaela Shiffrin (USA), Frida Hansdotter (SWE) was in second place, and 3rd place went to Maria Pietilae-Holmer (SWE). The winner of the Star Challenge 2014 went to the team Alex Maier.

2015, 13th of January

Magnificent sunshine and with 14,800 skiing fans a new spectator record. The Swedish lady Frida Hansdotter, who was already on the podium the previous two years, used the excellent conditions to beat Tina Maze (SLO) and Mikaela Shiffrin (USA). Winner of the Star Challenge 2015 and 17 teams from the famous and talented skiers was the team Walter Schachner and Philip Lackner.

2016, 12th, 15th and 17th of January

3 Races full of exiting sports and emotions within 6 days. Veronika Velez Zuzulova (SVK) won the Night Slalom on Tuesday, 12th of January. Since the ladies's races from Ofterschwang (GER) had to be rescheduled in Flachau, there was another ladies' Slalom on 15th of January and a Giant Slalom on 17th of January on the Hermann-Maier-World Cup track. Veronika Velez Zuzulova also won the 2nd Slalom and Viktoria Rebensburg (GER) the Giant Slalom, which was the first ladies' GS in Flachau since 2002.

2017, 10th of January

A dreamlike winter evening. 12.500 fans saw an exiting Audi FIS Ski World Cup Night Race in Flachau. After 2015 Frida Hansdotter (SWE) could once again win this fantastic race and so she has been crowned to "snow space princess 2017. 2nd place Nina Loeseth (NOR) in front of the two 3rd placed Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) and Wendy Holdener (SUI). Michael Walchhofer and his partner Felix Sagmeister won the "Star Challenge 2017", which has been the day before.

2018, 9th of January

his time the weather demanded total dedication from the Audi FIS Ski World Cup Flachau team. After the excellent snow conditions at the end of December with wintry temperatures below zero a warm weather period followed at the beginning of January with double digits above zero. And just as if that wasn’t enough then on the day of the event it started to rain heavily which, luckily, stopped just before the start of the 1st run.The slope team braved the freak weather conditions and conjured up a more than acceptable course in the snow with their hard work and made this spectacular race possible. Once again the US superstar Mikaela Shiffrin showed her more than unbelievable dominance and beat the Austrian Bernadette Schild, who was actually leading after the first run. Mikaela Shiffrin was awarded the Snow Space Salzburg Princess 2018 and collected the highest prize money there is to be won on the Ladies Ski World Cup circuit. The Swede Frida Hansdotter came in in third place who recently was able to ski in a top result on her favourite course here in Flachau. 15,000 enthusiastic ski fans transformed the World Cup stadium on the Hermann Maier FIS World Cup run into a true witch’s cauldron. A huge crowd also gathered for the concert by Christina Stürmer and band, who raised the roof between the 1st and 2nd run in the open air arena in the centre of Flachau.

2019, 8th of January

Despite the extremely wintry conditions which brought more than two metres of new snow in the days before the great floodlit spectacle, the dedicated slope team was still able to transport the new snow away in time for the start of the Night Slalom on the Hermann Maier FIS World Cup run, so that the race course could be prepared to a nearly perfect state despite the conditions. The team spirit and lots of special shifts from the piste team made it really worthwhile. Once again the US superstar Mikaela Shiffrin was in top form in the first run and secured a lead of 0:46 seconds over the Slovakian Petra Vlhova at half time. But in the second run Vlhova kept her nerves and finally was crowned the Snow Space Salzburg Princess with only a 0:15 second lead over Shiffrin. This lead earned her the highest prize money (€ 69,859.38 Euros) in the Ladies Skiing World Cup. Third place on the podium went to the young Austrian Katharina Liensberger with a sensational run, who achieved her best World Cup result to-date in Flachau, her home territory. 13,400 spectators didn’t want to miss out on one of the greatest highlights in the Ladies skiing World Cup calendar despite the extremely wintry conditions and turned the World Cup stadium into a real witch’s cauldron. In the break between the runs the Austrian musician Julian Le Play performed his hits on the Krone open air stage.

2020, 14th of January

Successfully defended her title: One year after her surprise victory at the ladies classic race in Flachau, Petra Vlhova was crowned Snow Space Salzburg Princess once again.14,800 ski fans celebrated a ski festival in a class of its own at the tenth anniversary of the ladies floodlit classic race in Flachau. For the tenth time, the AUDI FIS Ski World Cup Ladies Night Slalom was held on Tuesday, 14 January 2020 in Flachau in Snow Space Salzburg. For the anniversary race, the Ski World Cup team proved its snow competence once again and prepared a first-class race slope on the Hermann Maier FIS World Cup run. Not least, thanks to the optimal weather conditions the days before the night event, the Ladies' World Cup elite were offered a rock-hard race slope that is unequalled on the World Cup circus. On race day itself, 14,800 ski fans flocked to Flachau to be there live at the 10th anniversary of the night classic. Just like in previous years, they transformed the finishing stadium in Snow Space Salzburg into a true witch's cauldron and cheered the athletes on to give it everything. Last year's winner Petra VLHOVA lived up to her current top form. neither World Cup leader Mikaela SHIFFRIN nor the Swede Anna SWENN LARSSON with the fastest time in the second run, were able to become dangerous for the Ski star from Slowakia.

2021, 12 January

1.2 million viewers watched the spectacle live on TV on ORF 1. The AUDI FIS Ski World Cup Women's Night Slalom in Flachau has guaranteed high tension in the Women's Ski World Cup for years. The 11th edition of the night classic once again lived up to the excellent reputation of the World Cup venue. Although the race on the Hermann Maier FIS World Cup course in the Snow Space Salzburg ski area had to do without spectators and a supporting programme this year due to the current Covid situation, the organisers managed to put on another perfectly organised race. The Audi FIS Women's Night Slalom Flachau was once again extremely successful for the ÖSV technical team, with four ÖSV skiers among the twelve best racers, led by current team leader Katharina Liensberger. Still in fourth place after the first run, she managed to make it onto the podium with a dream run in the second run. She was only beaten by 0.19 seconds by Mikaela Shiffrin, who was crowned Snow Space Salzburg Princess for the fourth time after 2013, 2014 and 2018.

2021, 16 January

Skiing fairytale in Flachau - Manuel Feller celebrates his first World Cup victory in Flachau. Is this the start of a great friendship? If Manuel Feller wasn't quite so happy at first about the relocation of the classics from Wengen and Kitzbühel to Flachau, he was all the more delighted after the race with his very first World Cup victory. In the first run Manuel Feller was still in 3rd place, with a clear best time in the 2nd run the Tyrolean secured his first World Cup victory. Second place this time went to half-time leader Clement Noel from France. Third place went to Marco Schwarz from Carinthia.

950,000 viewers watched the race on ORF1.

2021, 17 January

One day after Manuel Feller's first World Cup victory, the Austrians once again made a big impression. After the first run, they took second to fourth place with Gstrein, Feller and Schwarz, beaten only by Foss-Solevaag. The Norwegian was also unstoppable in the second run and also took his first ever World Cup victory in Flachau. Marco Schwarz regained the World Cup lead in the slalom with second place, Fabio Gstrein finished fifth with a solid second run, Feller slipped on the inside ski in the second run and ultimately finished seventeenth one day after his triumph.

With 1,162,000 viewers on ORF 1, a top rating was achieved.

2022, 9 March

First victory for McGrath in Flachau - first ski race with spectators since corona

10,300 ski fans ensured a top-class ski festival at the big floodlit spectacle on the Hermann Maier FIS World Cup course and carried the Norwegian Atle Lie McGrath to his premiere victory. Strolz, Schwarz and Feller finished fourth to sixth. The fans did not miss the exciting race or the top-class supporting programme with "Skolka", the Flying Bulls fleet with flag parachute jump and "JOSH.". The atmosphere in the finish stadium couldn't have been better and enticed the racers to achieve their best performances.

2023, 10 January

Vlhova wins floodlit spectacle for the 30th anniversary: 13,200 ski fans carried Petra Vlhova (SVK) to the title of Snow Space Salzburg Princess in the glow of the floodlights. And for the third time already. Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) was 0.43 seconds behind in second place, while Lena Duerr from Germany secured third place. The best Austrian was Katharina Liensberger in sixth place. A very special charity event, the Hermann Maier Star Challenge, took place on the evening before the race. The Herminator not only patronised the event, but also took part in the race in aid of a charitable organisation. The challenge was won by TV chef Silvia Schneider and her team partner Marc Giardelli.

2024, 16 January

Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) and Petra Vlhova (SVK) fought an incredibly exciting duel in front of 12,800 spectators, which the American ultimately won. 3rd place went to Sarah Hector from Sweden. Fantastic winter weather and a great live act by the Austrian band "AUT of ORDA" made for an all-round successful event. Also new in 2024 is the location of the Ski Austria World Cup Club, which is now even closer to the racing action and offers space for 600 guests. The Hermann Maier Star Challenge 2024 is secured by Corinna Kamper and Marco Büchel. Host Hermann Maier once again set the fastest time in the charity race on the World Cup-standard slope.