Klammer Skis For His 70th Birthday
Klammer Skis For His 70th Birthday
Published : 11-Dec-2023 01:57
Franz Klammer, also known as the "Ski Kaiser" and arguably the most famous ski racer of all time– celebrated his 70th birthday earlier this month with a race of ski legends in his home resort of Bad Kleinkirchheim in the Austrian province of Carinthia.
More than 50 former ski stars, friends and companions took part in the exciting event sporting a true World Cup vibe. The stars included Michaela Dorfmeister, Jure Kosir, Markus Wasmeier, Armin Assinger, Jimmy Steiner, Annemarie Moser-Pröll and Michael Veith.
The run by Bernhard Russi, Franz Klammer's biggest competitor in the Olympic downhill race on Innsbruck's Patscherkofel at the 1976 Olympics, was especially eagerly awaited.
"Back then I won gold. Today it's no longer about who gets the best time, but about fun and friendship that have lasted for decades," said Klammer.
The winner of the race in wintery Bad Kleinkirchheim wasn't the fastest one on the piste but the one who came closest to Klammer's time. Patrick Ortlieb, who was only 8 hundredths off, was first, Jurir Kosir and Armin Assinger second and third.
Peter Kaiser, provincial governor of Carinthia said, "Franz Klammer made history when he won the Winter Olympics in Innsbruck in 1976. Since then, his popularity has continued to grow, and he is still a popular figure around the world today. Thanks to his background and likeable, down-to-earth personality, he has been THE sporty international ambassador of Carinthia for decades."
Thousands of ski fans celebrated the legends and left the event with both long-lasting memories and their autographs.
Winter sports fans wanting to ski alongside the "Ski Kaiser" have a chance to do so at the Early Morning Skiing (9 January and 6, 13 and 20 February 2024) in Bad Kleinkirchheim.
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