Page 36 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - Austria

34  INTRODUCING A USTRIA

Sport in Austria hosted the Nordic Combined
World Cup championships, an
Austria is a sport-loving nation, a fact reflected in the great event previously held on the
popularity of recreational sports as well as in the country’s Dachstein glacier in Styria.
success in international compe titions. For a nation with a Austrians flock to cross-country
trails, which are generally free
relatively small population, the number of European and or of very modest cost. One
world champions, as well as Olympic medallists, in Austria highlight of the cross-country
is very high. Some three million people – members of calendar is the 4 km (2.5 mile)
27,500 sports clubs – participate in various sports and trail in Obertaun dedicated
sports con tests. The most popular and widely pursued exclusively to nude skiers.
sport is downhill skiing, followed by other winter pursuits Ski jumping is also very
popular. Austria won gold,
such as Nordic (or cross-country) skiing and snowboarding. silver and bronze medals at
In the warmer months, Austrians turn to soccer, tennis, the 1976 Winter Olympics in
swimming, golf, cycling and windsurfing. Innsbruck, and two of the
prestigious Four Hills ski jump
tournaments take place in
Rettenbach glacier above Innsbruck and Bischofshofen.
Alpine Skiing Sölden. The international
Alpine or downhill skiing has Hahnenkamm races in
been the number one national Kitzbühel are famous the
sport in Austria for over 100 world over, in part due to their
years. Mathias Zdarsky (1856– inclusion of the dangerous
1940) is known as the “father downhill race, the Streif.
of alpine skiing”. He wrote one Lauded ski racers include
of the first instructional books, Franz Klammer, often cited
designed the first steel ski as the greatest downhill skiier
bindings and organized, in of all time, and Hermann
1905, the first slalom race. Maier. Top of the pack is
Most importantly, however, Toni Sailer, considered the
he urged Austrians to get off greatest champion of all –
the gentle flats and head up he won gold at every single
into the mountains. Alpine event at the 1956
Austria is a go-to destination Winter Olympics.
for professional as well as
recreational skiiers. The Winter Nordic Skiing Record-breaking ski jumper,
Olympics have twice been Andreas Goldberg
held in Innsbruck (1964 and Generally, Nordic skiing
1976) and World Cup races encompasses cross-country
are hosted at a number of skiing and ski jumping. Austria’s Luge
resorts around the country. glaciers are ideal locations Luge or bobsleigh racing is
The very first race of the for both training and comp- another popular winter
season is always held on the etitions; in 2017, Seefeld pastime. Each autumn, the
World Cup luge season starts
in Innsbruck, on the track built
there for the 1976 Winter
Olympics. Lying prone on the
sled, lugers achieve speeds of
over 100 kph (62 mph) as they
hurtle down the ice. Austrian
competitors have won several
medals in this discipline at the
Olympic Games, as well as at
various World Champion ships
and World Cup events.
Amateurs can experience a
ride on the Olympic bobsleigh,
luge and skeleton tracks in
Innsbruck-Igls, with a
professional brakeman and
Hermann Maier on his final slalom run in Hinterstoder driver keeping control.

034-035_EW_Austria.indd 34 12/09/17 2:45 pm
Eyewitness Travel LAYERS PRINTED:
Feature template “UK” LAYER
(SourceReport v1.3)
Date 18th October 2012
Size 125mm x 217mm