Ski party can start

Even the Copacabana is looking towards Kitzbühel

Kitz President Michael Huber is looking forward to the Hahnenkamm spectacle starting today.

(Bild: Birbaumer Christof/Kronen Zeitung)

The pictures from the biggest ski party are going around the world. "Mr. Streif" Michael Huber chatted with the "Krone" about the brutal series of injuries and the colourful mix of fans. The first training session is on the agenda today.

The "Krone" reports from Kitzbühel

Brutal! The "Krone" already ventured down the Streif yesterday with "Mr. Kitzbühel" Michael Huber. A really crisp affair for the average Joe. From today, the best skiers in the world will show how it's really done. The first training session (11.30 am) opens the 85th Hahnenkamm spectacle.

Michael Huber in conversation with the "Krone".

(Bild: Birbaumer Christof/Kronen Zeitung)

Austria's figurehead Vincent Kriechmayr, last year's Kitz double champion Cyprien Sarrazin, Norway's superstar Aleksander Aamodt Kilde and many, many other top athletes are unfortunately missing through injury. "It hurts incredibly, my heart is bleeding," says Huber, who is President of the Kitzbühel Ski Club (K.S.C.) and a member of the FIS Executive Board. The saying "injuries are just part of the game" is no longer valid for Huber. "Especially in the ankle area, we have absolutely zero leeway with the carbon rails and stiff ski boots." According to Huber, it has been far too long since the last sensible material tightening, which took effect from the 2012/13 season under the then FIS Race Director Günter Hujara. The time is ripe for the ski industry, athletes, teams and FIS to make decisions that go beyond their own interests.

Former World Champion and FIS expert Hannes Trinkl: "The Streif is beautifully together!"

(Bild: Birbaumer Christof/Kronen Zeitung)

Downhill Saturday virtually "sold out"
And what's new on the Streif in 2025? A new A-safety net at the Seidlalmsprung and a new start house for the Super-G, which is back on the Kitz program for the first time since 2021. Despite the modest red-white-red season results so far, advance ticket sales are excellent and the images from the Wengen spectacle have increased the anticipation even more. The downhill Saturday in particular is virtually "sold out". This is reported with 45,000 tickets sold, so as not to overstep the mark. "The fan experience should be a great one," says Huber. He is particularly proud that the Hahnenkamm weekend not only attracts celebrities from all over the world.

The new Super-G start.

(Bild: Birbaumer Christof/Kronen Zeitung)

The new safety net.

(Bild: Birbaumer Christof/Kronen Zeitung)

"When I walk through the town and see how many young people are having fun here, that's the greatest joy for me. In Kitzbühel, all age groups and peoples of the world love each other. It is simply the 'place to be'." To ensure that this always remains the case, the town center has a security concept that has been tried and tested for years and is constantly being refined. The access roads to the city center are secured with bollards at critical points.

Broadcast in Brazil
The pictures from Kitz will once again be broadcast around the world, this time the races will even be shown live in Brazil (thanks to Lucas Pinheiro Braathen), Bulgaria and Nigeria! The Austrians, who traditionally moved into their rooms at the Kitzhof yesterday, are for the first time in many years only (blatant) outsiders. The entire speed team represented in Kitz has exactly zero World Cup victories. But still: Felix Hacker also won the European Cup Super-G on the Reiteralm yesterday and came to Kitz as the overall leader of the "second league".