Hahnenkamm Race Toni Sailer - Austria / II. Republic of Austria 2015

Since 1931, the Hahnenkamm, which impressively towers over Kitzbühel at an altitude of 1,712 meters, attracts athletes from all over the world; On different racetracks the racers compete in skill and speed. In 1937, the Streif, which today is undoubtedly considered the most spectacular downhill in alpine skiing, was inaugurated. Year after year, tens of thousands of fans spellbound the daredevil racers in their medal hunt - over the mousetrap in the carousel, from the steep slope in the bridge shot, over the Alte Schneise, the Seidlalmsprung and Lärchenschuss up to Hausbergkante; At the end of the seemingly endless finish slope, the athletes will then receive frenetically cheering from more than 50,000 spectators. One of the most famous winners here, it is certain, was "the black flash from Kitz", Toni Sailer. Born on November 17, 1935 in Kitzbühel, Sailer was already on his skis as a two-year-old. He played his first races at the tender age of ten, the first international success he was in 1955 in Wengen. 1956 should finally be the year of Toni Sailer: He celebrated three victories on the Hahnenkamm in the disciplines downhill, slalom and combination, and also the Olympics in Cortina, he played with gold in the downhill, slalom and giant slalom as a one-man -Show. He was hailed as a superstar and became an important youth idol of the Austrian post-war period. He was able to repeat his downhill victories in Kitz and Wengen the following year, and he also impressively confirmed his World Cup successes in Bad Gastein in 1958: gold in the downhill, in the giant slalom and in the combination - only in slalom did he line up behind Josl Rieder in second. At the age of 22, Toni Sailer had achieved everything in ski sports and henceforth devoted himself - as a living legend - to a completely different passion: He played in films, television series and plays and also recorded several albums as a pop singer. In the mid-sixties, he turned back to skiing, but now behind the scenes: From 1972 to 1976, he contributed as head coach and technical director of the ÖSV significantly to the great successes of Austria, and from 1986 to 2006 he was the dedicated race director of Kitzbühel Hahnenkamm race. On August 24, 2009 Toni Sailer died of cancer - as a charismatic, universally popular superstar of alpine skiing, he lives on in the hearts of his huge fan base until today.