Review of the year

Kraft took off again and the end of the Bulls’ dominance

Overjoyed: Stefan Kraft after his World Championship title on the Kulm

(Bild: Sepp Pail)

The sports year 2024 in the "Krone" review. High-flyer Stefan Kraft triumphed at the Ski Flying World Championships and in the overall World Cup. On the other hand, the soccer Bulls remained untitled for the first time since the 2012/13 season. And what else happened.

Immediately on the positive side: High-flyer Stefan Kraft took off again in 2024 in sporting terms - on a personal level, he always remained grounded. His hand on his chest, his cap off, fervently singing along to the anthem. When Stefan Kraft won gold with his last flight at the Ski Flying World Championships at Kulm and "Land of the mountains, land of the river" rang out for him a little later, he was visibly moved. Salzburg's high-flyer had done it again, he had delivered on day X. And how! After three individual titles at the Nordic World Championships, he has now also made it to the top step of the podium at the long-distance competition in Styria.

"That was one of the best days of my life. I've never heard so many people sing the national anthem. It touches the heart and was my most beautiful award ceremony," explained the high-flyer. Who didn't stop at one title. After 2017 and 2020, he received the big crystal globe for the overall World Cup winner for the third time at the end of the 2023/24 season. "That was my best season," said the 31-year-old in retrospect. However, he didn't have enough, as his victory at the start of the 2024/25 Four Hills Tournament proved. "Krafti" now has 44 individual successes in the World Cup, making him third in the all-time list of the best. Particularly remarkable: despite all his successes, the man from Pongau only ever excelled in sport and always remained grounded as a person.

Gerhard Struber remained untitled with the Kickers and his successor has already been dismissed.

(Bild: Andreas Tröster)

End of the overwhelming dominance
Everything comes to an end, including the dominance of the Bulls in Austrian soccer. After ten seasons in a row, Salzburg went without a title for the first time. The team from Mozart's city were beaten by long-term rivals Sturm Graz in both the Bundesliga (two points behind) and the ÖFB Cup. A total of three coaches were allowed to try their luck at the Salzach this year. Gerhard Struber was relieved of his duties as league leader in April. Interim coach Onur Cinel was unable to bring home the championship trophy with six games remaining. Pep Lijnders, Jürgen Klopp's long-term "co", was supposed to lead the club into new spheres at the start of the season. But the opposite was the case. After a good start, the Bulls slipped into an unprecedented crisis, which led to the end of the Dutchman's tenure in December. His successor is an old acquaintance: the German Thomas Letsch.

After three races, Marcel Hirscher tore his cruciate ligament in training.

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

"Heart project" over after three races
Five years after his retirement, eight-time overall World Cup winner Marcel Hirscher announced his sensational comeback to the alpine ski circuit in April. Instead of racing for the ÖSV, however, the Annaberger raced for the Netherlands, his mother's home country, on the poles of his Van Deer-Red Bull Sports brand. Bitter: His "heart project" came to an abrupt end after just three World Cup races. During training on the Reiteralm, the winner of 67 World Cup races suffered a torn cruciate ligament. Continuation uncertain.

Already one of the greatest
Vali Höll cleaned up in 2024. In addition to her third overall World Cup victory, the downhill dominator celebrated her third world championship title in a row. This made the Saalbach native, now aged 23, the third most successful athlete in her sport - of all time.

Third ice hockey league title in a row
The Bulls were pushed to the limit on their way to the title before the championship was clinched 6:2 on Klagenfurt ice. This is the first time a club has won the Ice Hockey League crown three times in a row - Salzburg's ninth overall. Oliver David won the title in his first year as head coach.

Figures of the year

FOUR PODIUM PLACES ... in the Ski World Cup for the province of Salzburg. Mirjam Puchner finished on the podium three times, Stefan Brennsteiner once.

3898 HITS... were scored in the current fall season in Salzburg's lower soccer division, from the Salzburg League to the Women's League.

25,000 spectators... was the feeling for coach Pep Lijnders when the Bulls played at home against WSG Tirol in the Cup in front of a mourning crowd of 2,437 spectators.

European Championship gold for Olympic candidate
Ski mountaineering is booming - and Sarah Dreier is right in the middle of it! The Pinzgau native was the best athlete in the vertical discipline last year, winning the small crystal globe and also triumphing at the European Championships.

Medal hat-trick is complete
Javelin thrower Natalija Eder narrowly missed out on the podium in Tokyo in 2021. The Union Salzburg LA athlete was able to celebrate again at the Paralympics in Paris. She completed her medal hat-trick with bronze (as in 2012 and 2016). Cornelia Wibmer (handbike) celebrated her debut in France.

Celebrating Paralympic bronze: Natalija Eder

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Arrived at the top of the world
Stefan Rettenegger may still have to wait for his first World Cup victory, but the 22-year-old combined athlete has really arrived at the top of the world this year. Eleven individual podium places have lifted him to second place in the overall World Cup.