Hahnenkamm, Kitzbühel

Infobox Mountain
Name = Hahnenkamm
Photo = Hahnenkamm_in_May.jpg
Caption = Hahnenkamm above Kitzbühel
Elevation= 5616 feet (1712 m)
Location= Austria
Range= Kitzbühel Alps
Coordinates = coord|47|25|N|12|22|E|region:AT_type:mountainThe Hahnenkamm is a mountain directly south of Kitzbühel, Austria, in the Kitzbühel Alps. It is located at coord|47|25|N|12|22|E|region:AT_type:mountain and its summit reaches an elevation of 5616 feet (1712 m) above sea level.

The Hahnenkamm ("German": rooster's comb) is part of the ski resort of Kitzbühel, and hosts the annual World Cup alpine ski races, the "Hahnenkammrennen". The most famous slope on the Hahnenkamm is the classic downhill course, the "Streif" (streak, or stripe), which is regarded as the most demanding race course on the World Cup circuit. The course features highly technical, "fall-away" turns (reverse bank), many with limited visibility. It also contains several flat gliding sections, immediately preceded by difficult turns, placing a premium on both technical and gliding skills. Run on the mountain's north face, the "Streif" course is mostly in the shade in January, if skies are clear. Usually overcast and often coupled with fog, the result is "flat" lighting, compounding the course's difficulty.

Hahnenkamm race

The "Hahnenkammrennen" are the annual races, held since 1931 and a fixture of the men's World Cup since its inception in the 1966-67 season. The races at Kitzbühel are usually held in mid to late January, often the week following the Lauberhorn in Wengen, Switzerland, another classic downhill. The 68th Hahnenkamm races took place on January 18-20, 2008; the 2009 races are scheduled for January 23-25.

The Hahnenkamm races are currently held in the following disciplines [http://www.hahnenkamm.com/cms/en/winners_courses/race_slopes/index.html] :
*Super-G on the "Streifalm", on Friday
*Downhill on the "Streif", on Saturday
*Slalom on the "Ganslernhang", on Sunday

Traditionally, the winner of the Hahnenkamm race was determined by the combined results of the downhill and slalom competitions; during the World Cup era, the man most likely to be referred to as "Hahnenkammsieger" (champion) is the winner of the prestigious downhill race.

Because of challenging weather conditions in January at the top of the mountain, the downhill course is often not run in its entirety. Unfortunately, this often eliminates one of the most exciting jumps in ski racing, the "Mausefalle" (mousetrap), seconds from the top of the course. The competitors reach high speeds quickly out of the starting gate on the "Startschuss" and fly up to 80 m (260 ft) off the steep jump. Upon landing the racers experience a severe compression immediately followed by a sharp left turn, often negotiated unsuccessfully.

In 2008, strong upwinds at the "Mausefalle" caused race officials to lower the start 50 m (164 ft), shortening the course by 100 m (328 ft.). This eliminated most of the "Startschuss" and its instantaneous speed; the "Mausefalle" was accordingly altered to a speed-inducing pitch, rather than a formidable jump & compression.

[http://www.hahnenkamm.com/cms/en/winners_courses/course_segments_graphics/index.html Course map] - with photos - official site

Course sections

* - Startschuss
* - Mausefalle (mousetrap) - jump & compression
* - Karusell (carousel) - S turns
* - Steilhang - steep & technical entrance to the flats
* - Brückenschuss & Gschöss - gliding flats
* - Alte Schneise
* - Seidlalmsprung (jump at Seidlalm) - introduced in 1994
* - Lärchenschuss - gliding
* - Hausberg (mountain house)
* – Querfahrt (traverse) - on glaring ice
* - Zielschuss (& compression & jump) - speeds over 140 km/hr (87 mph)
* - Rasmusleitn to the finish (Ziel).

Facts and Figures

* The "Streif" course is 2.06 miles (3.312 km) in length.
* The starting gate is at an elevation of 5462 feet (1665 m) above sea level; the "Streif" descends 2821 vertical feet (860 m) to the finish at 2641 feet (805 m).
* The average grade of the run is 27 percent (15.1 degrees).
* The maximum grade is 85 percent (40.4 degrees); minimum is 2% (1.1°) [http://www.hahnenkamm.com/cms/en/winners_courses/race_slopes/downhill_streif/index.html]
* The record for the full 3.3 km course was set in 1997 by Fritz Strobl of Austria at 1:51.58, [http://www.hahnenkamm.com/cms/en/winners_courses/race_records/index.html] an average speed of 66.4 mph (106.9 km/hr)
* The first non-European to win the downhill race in the World Cup era was Ken Read of Canada in 1980. Previously, the only non-European champion was Buddy Werner of the U.S., who won in 1959 at age 22. Canadians won races four consecutive years from 1980-83; the only non-European winner since 1983 is Daron Rahlves of the U.S., prevailing on an abbreviated course (2.0 km due to fog) in 2003.
* Three victories have gone to Scandinavians, all from Norway. Atle Skårdal was the first in 1990 and Lasse Kjus won twice, in 1999 and 2004.
* The "Streif" course was one of several featured in the 1969 movie "Downhill Racer," starring Robert Redford and Gene Hackman. It was shown as itself and later as the Olympic course.

Hahnenkamm downhill champions

The following is a list of Hahnenkamm downhill winners in the World Cup era, with their winning times:

*1967 - Jean-Claude Killy (FRA), 2:11.82
*1968 - Gerhard Nenning (AUT), 2:14.49
*1969 - Karl Schranz (AUT), 2:18.80
*1970 - no downhill race held
*1971 - no downhill race held
*1972 - (first race) Karl Schranz (AUT), 2:23.70;
** - (second race) Karl Schranz (AUT), 2:24.36
*1973 - Roland Collombin (SUI), 2:13.32
*1974 - Roland Collombin (SUI), 2:03.29
*1975 - Franz Klammer (AUT), 2:03.22
*1976 - Franz Klammer (AUT), 2:03.79
*1977 - Franz Klammer (AUT), 2:09.71
*1978 - (first race) Josef Walcher (AUT), 2'06.90;
** - (second race) tie: Sepp Ferstl (GER) and Josef Walcher (AUT), 2:07.81
*1979 - Sepp Ferstl (GER), 2:04.48
*1980 - Ken Read (CAN), 2:04.93
*1981 - Steve Podborski (CAN), 2:03.76
*1982 - (first race) Harti Weirather (AUT), 1:57.20;
** - (second race) Steve Podborski (CAN), 1:57.24
*1983 - (first race) [Bruno Kernen (born 1961)|Bruno Kernen [I] ] (SUI), 2:06.68;
** - (second race) [http://www.fis-ski.com/uk/604/613.html?sector=AL&competitorid=7318&type=result Todd Brooker] (CAN), 2:01.96
*1984 - Franz Klammer (AUT), 2:02.82
*1985 - (first race) Pirmin Zurbriggen (SUI), 2:08.65;
** -(second race) Pirmin Zurbriggen (SUI), 2:06.95
*1986 - (first race) [Peter Wirnsberger|Peter Wirnsberger [I] ] (AUT), 2:01.77;
** - (second race) Peter Wirnsberger (AUT), 2:02.04
*1987 - Pirmin Zurbriggen (SUI), 1:58.06
*1988 - no races held
*1989 - (first race) Marc Girardelli (LUX), 2:01.25;
** - (second race) Daniel Mahrer (SUI), 1:58.42
*1990 - Atle Skårdal (NOR), 2:26.20
*1991 - Franz Heinzer (SUI), 1:58.71
*1992 - (first race) Franz Heinzer (SUI), 1:56.63;
** - (second race) Franz Heinzer (SUI), 1:56.04
*1993 - no races held
*1994 - Patrick Ortlieb (AUT), 2:00.12
*1995 - (first race) Luc Alphand (FRA), 1:40.97;
** - (second race) Luc Alphand (FRA), 1:40.33
*1996 - Günther Mader (AUT), 1:54.29
*1997 - (first race) Luc Alphand (FRA), 2:12.55;
** - (second race) Fritz Strobl (AUT), 1:51.58 - (record time for full course)
*1998 - (first race) Didier Cuche (SUI), 2:31.55;
** - (second race) Kristian Ghedina (ITA), 2:05.49
*1999 - (first race) Lasse Kjus (NOR), 2:14.13;
** - (second race) Hans Knauss (AUT), 1:54.18
*2000 - Fritz Strobl (AUT), 1:46.54
*2001 - Hermann Maier (AUT), 1:56.84
*2002 - Stephan Eberharter (AUT), 1:54.21
*2003 - Daron Rahlves (USA), 1:09.63 - (2.0 km, shortened due to fog)
*2004 - (first race) Lasse Kjus (NOR), 1:58.78;
** - (second race) Stephan Eberharter (AUT), 1:55.48
*2005 - no downhill race held
*2006 - Michael Walchhofer (AUT), 1:46.75
*2007 - no downhill race held - lack of snow
*2008 - Didier Cuche (SUI), 1:52.75 [http://www.fis-ski.com/uk/604/610.html?sector=AL&competitorid=11795&raceid=49906]

Each downhill champion's name is affixed to a gondola car on the "Hahnenkammbahn" lift, which extends from the Kitzbühel base to the top of the Hahnenkamm mountain.

External links

*en icon [http://www.hahnenkamm.com/ Hahnenkamm race]
*en icon [http://www.bergbahn-kitzbuehel.at/en/ Bergbahn Kitzbühel]
*de icon [http://www.bergbahn-kitzbuehel.at/ Bergbahn Kitzbühel]
* [http://www.fis-ski.com/uk/604/610.html?sector=AL&competitorid=11795&raceid=49906 FIS-ski.com] - 2008 Hahnenkamm downhill results
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I9GG02RvV0Y&feature=related YouTube video] - Franz Klammer, age 30, wins his 4th Hahnenkamm on full course - 21-Jan-1984
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWDqF1fG89A&feature=related YouTube video] - Kristian Ghedina on full course - spread eagles at "Zielsprung" - 6th place - 24-Jan-2004
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CpqBosmuxGI&NR=1 YouTube video] - Hermann Maier on full course - 9th place - 24-Jan-2004 [http://www.fis-ski.com/uk/604/610.html?sector=AL&competitorid=36996&raceid=26388]
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i4mmebo1LJs YouTube video] - Bode Miller skis onto fence exiting "Steilhang", takes 2nd - 19-Jan-2008
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1m5Ww0_q5oE&feature=related YouTube video] - crash of Scott Macartney at "Zielsprung", takes 33rd - 19-Jan-2008
* [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-1x0xrG81FQ YouTube video] - career-ending crash of [http://www.fis-ski.com/uk/604/613.html?sector=AL&competitorid=7318&type=result Todd Brooker] , 1983 winner, at top of "Zielschuss", - 25-Jan-1987

* [http://www.alpineskimaps.com/austria/kitzbuh/winmap.htm Alpine Ski Maps.com] - Kitzbühel area - winter
* [http://www.alpineskimaps.com/htm/austria/kitzbuh/summap.htm Alpine Ski Maps.com] - Kitzbühel area - summer
* [http://www.ski-europe.com/images/trailmaps/kitz-kirch.jpgSki-Europe.com] - winter map of Kitzbühel area (with elevations)