Schladming World Cup: Mobile Floodlight Solution For Night Giant Slalom
Since 1997, the legendary Night Race in Schladming has been a fixture in the Ski World Cup circuit and delights thousands of fans every year. The night giant slalom, which will be held for the third time in a row in 2025, has now established itself as an exciting addition. An innovative, sustainable solution has been developed to optimally illuminate the upper section of the giant slalom: a mobile floodlight system that combines the latest LED technology with flexibility and environmental friendliness.
The idea for this innovation comes from Planai. A team of experts consisting of Manuel Wöhrer, Reinfried Prugger, Daniel Gerhardter and Georg Knauß, in close cooperation with the ÖSV, Philips and PS-Consulting from Altenmarkt, developed a concept that meets both sporting requirements and ecological standards.
The mobile system comprises 11 masts with a total of 108 LED lamps and provides an average light intensity of 1,500 lux. For the installation, Planai relies on environmentally friendly screw anchors instead of concrete foundations - a process that protects nature and is barely visible.
"The development of this solution shows how innovative ideas enable pioneering projects in winter sports. It is a further step that positions Schladming as a pioneer in sustainable major ski events," emphasizes Dir. Georg Bliem, Managing Director of Planai-Hochwurzen-Bahnen GmbH.
The mobile floodlight system also takes the surroundings into account. There is a large residential area with accommodation facilities in the immediate vicinity of the giant slalom start. A permanent installation of 25-meter-high floodlight masts would have had a major impact on the residential environment. With the mobile solution, however, an environmentally and resident-friendly alternative was found.
After its use at the World Cup races on January 28 and 29, 2025 in Schladming - with night giant slalom and night race - the mobile system will be used at the Ski World Championships in Saalbach. Its versatility also makes it a sustainable and innovative solution for other sporting events.
Sustainability is also a top priority when preparing the World Cup slopes.
Since January 2024, the entire piste grooming fleet at Planai has been powered by palm oil-free HVO100 fuel, which replaces diesel and reduces CO₂ emissions by 90%. This environmentally friendly technology is also used in the preparation of the World Cup slope and helps to further reduce the ecological footprint. Planai is thus showing that a successful major sporting event and sustainability are compatible and that the future of winter sports can also be shaped with consideration for the environmen
