SMF Ski-Mo World Cup In Schladming-Dachstein: The World's Best Ski Mountaineers Conquer The Planai

In the Styrian tourist region of Schladming-Dachstein, things will be steeply uphill next weekend - and then downhill again, because on Friday and Saturday (March 14/15), the ISMF Ski Mountaineering World Cup will stop here. The opening ceremony will take place on Thursday in Schladming's Planai Stadium, after which all participants and spectators can look forward to spectacular races and a varied supporting program.

The "Vertical Race" on Friday will climb over 600 meters from the foot of the Planai to the mid-station. The "Night Sprint" on Saturday from 5 p.m. also promises to be particularly exciting. A total of 180 athletes from 25 nations are expected at the two World Cup races in Schladming. Two Austrian competitors are among the favorites in the Vertical: Sarah Dreier and local Schladming hero Johanna Hiemer, last year's two top finishers, will be taking part.

The men's field is also well-populated with strong Austrian athletes, including Nils Oberauer and Julian Tritscher. Andreas Keinprecht, chairman of the Schladming-Dachstein Tourist Board , is looking forward to the sporting event: "Ski mountaineering and ski touring are experiencing a real boom and have developed into a real megatrend.

Their importance for tourism is also growing accordingly. There are already more than 50 designated ski touring routes in the Schladming-Dachstein region." Great supporting program: lecture by Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner and ski tour with athletes The organizers, including the Gröbming Ski Club, the Planai-Hochwurzen-Bahnen and the Schladming-Dachstein Tourist Board, have also put together a fantastic supporting program.

On Friday, starting at 7 p.m., Gerlinde Kaltenbrunner will give a multimedia presentation entitled "The Inner Dimension of Mountaineering" at the Dachstein Event Center in Ramsau. Under the motto "Testing and Training Skills," participants are invited to an introduction to the Pieps avalanche transceiver at the Kessleralm mid-station on Saturday from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Together with certified mountain and ski guides, current search strategies will be discussed and can be tried out in a specially prepared practice area.

On Sunday, participants can look forward to a ski tour with Ski Austria skimo athletes Nils Oberauer, Julian Tritscher, and Johanna Hiemer. The meeting point is at 9 a.m. at the Planai Infopoint. This exciting ski tour takes you into the impressive mountains of the Schladming-Dachstein region. The tour lasts approximately two to three hours and is suitable for both leisurely skiers and ambitious amateur athletes. Participation is free; interested parties can register online at www.schladming-dachstein.at/ticketshop .