Another home win 50 years after Hansi’s

19-year-old Hansi Hinterseer from Kitzbühel won the Slalom on the Ganslern Slope on 27th January 1974. 50 years later, Linus Straßer achieved the same feat. The German learned to ski in Kitzbühel, is a member of Kitzbühel Ski Club and lives in Kirchberg.

Linus Straßer may have been born in Munich, but celebrated what you could call a home victory on the Ganslern today. Kitzbühel was one of the places where the 31-year-old learned to ski, he is still a member of Kitzbühel Ski Club and lives in the neighbouring village of Kirchberg. As a schoolboy he competed against Manuel Feller in ski races and his coach was once Mario Mittermayer-Weinhandl from Kitzbühel, the current Chief of Race of the Hahnenkamm Races.

Victory on the Ganslern Slope on 21st January 2024 brings things full circle for Linus Straßer: "It's incredible. I have such strong affinity with Kitzbühel and Austria. Without Austria and its dedication and fanaticism for skiing, I would never have ended up in the World Cup. I’m very grateful for that", he commented to ORF during his first interview after the race and conceded: "It's hard to believe that I have really won in Kitzbühel." After his victory in Schladming in 2022 and today’s triumph on the Ganslern Slope, Linus Straßer "only has two more classic titles to tick off his wish list" – Wengen and Adelboden.

He ranked fourth place after the first run, before delivering an audacious yet flawless performance in the second. Half-time leader, Kristoffer Jakobsen, ended up taking second place, with Daniel Yule coming in third. Disappointing fourth place was taken by Manuel Feller.

Photo © K.S.C./Klecha