Slalom Elite Train on Ganslern Hill
Things are hotting up on the Ganslern slope. Manuel Feller, Linus Straßer and a clutch of the world’s finest slalom skiers have been busy honing their technique, clocking up as many as eight runs a day. The World Cup race takes place on 25 January.
Many ski fans in Kitzbühel could scarcely believe their eyes over the past few days as they spotted members of the slalom elite training on the Ganslern. Among those squeezing in up to eight runs a day were Manuel Feller, Linus Straßer, Joshua Sturm, Sebastian Holzmann and Anton Tremmel. Despite the demanding training schedule, the ÖSV and DSV stars still found time to pose for photos with their youngest supporters.
Manuel Feller has “mixed feelings” about Ganslern Hill. Since his debut in 2013, he has never finished better than fourth. “It’s one of the coolest races of the season and one I prepare for intensively, but it’s extremely difficult to deliver the goods here,” says the racer from Fieberbrunn.
Linus Straßer finally ticked off a long-cherished ambition in 2024 with a victory on the Ganslern. Even so, the Munich-born skier, who lives in nearby Kirchberg, stresses: “Each run down that hill matters. It challenges you every single time, no matter how much experience you’ve got. That’s why I’m so grateful for these training days four weeks before the race.”
Sebastian Holzmann and Joshua Sturm also relish the chance to train on the slope so close to World Cup day. Holzmann admits: “I like the Ganslern, even though it’s very unique and sometimes feels strange to ski.” Sturm, a fan of technically demanding slopes, adds with a wry grin: “Sadly, I’ve never managed to demonstrate that in a race here — but let’s see where I’m at in a month’s time.”
Piste chief Stefan Lindner hasn’t missed a moment of the action and has been on the sidelines, lending a hand whenever required. Preparations for the race on 25 January are bang on schedule: “Initial groundwork is complete, the racing line has been roughly set, and snow quality is already excellent. Now we’ll take advantage of the cold weather over the next few days to produce even more snow. Fine-tuning will follow in January. Finishing the transitions and broadening the piste are also on the agenda — after all, we want to create optimal conditions for the Juniors Race on 21 January as well,” explains Lindner.
Admission to the Juniors Race is free. Tickets for the World Cup Slalom, the Super-G (23 January) and the Downhill (24 January) are available exclusively via the online shop. There will be no on-site ticket sales.
Photo © K.S.C./alpinguin
