HKR Kitzbühel

All to plan, yet with an eye on the sky

07.01.2025

Everything has gone to plan thus far on the Streif and Ganslernhang racecourses. Safety work took priority on Tuesday, followed by the return of heavy snow grooming machinery on Wednesday. Tickets for all races are available in the webshop

The Christmas holidays are now over and normal service has resumed on the Hahnenkamm for a few days, before the ski world reverts its attention to the opening race – the Super-G – on 24th January at the latest. For the Slope and Safety Teams on the Streif, “Normal service” means being flexible and adapting to the prevailing conditions: “We constantly monitor the weather and then decide which task to undertake”, says Herbert Hauser, Slope Manager on the Steif: “Is it getting colder, or warmer? Is snow on the way, or will the sun shine? Is it a day for manual work, or can we send the snowcats out?”

On Tuesday, there was light snowfall all day long in Kitzbühel, so they decided to work by hand: “We are working on the nets and tarpaulins, where we shovel snow onto the front and back until it is level with the racecourse, which keeps the nets taut,” explains Herbert Hauser. Snow grooming machinery returned to the Streif on Wednesday to process the fresh snow. Similar operations were performed on the Ganslernhang Slope on Tuesday.

This fresh snow can't adversely affect ground preparations that have already been made: “We are already well ahead with our preparations this year and have some leeway,” says Herbert Hauser, hoping that long-term weather forecasts are accurate. A colder phase with little precipitation is expected to begin on Sunday – ideal conditions. And which weather prediction system does the man from Aurach trust the most? “I find it's best to look out of the window in the morning.”

Tickets for the general standing area are exclusively available in the webshop. There will be no ticket sales on site. Children and teenagers (born in 2007 or younger) enjoy free admission (please bring photo ID). Adults pay € 35 (Friday and Sunday) or € 40 (Saturday).

Photo © K.S.C./alpinguin

 


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