"Silver Anniversary": A1 & OSV Celebrate 25 Year Partnership

Austria's leading communications company A1 has been a partner of the ÖSV for a quarter of a century - and will remain so for the next five years. ÖSV President Roswitha Stadlober and A1 Austria CEO Marcus Grausam recently signed the contract.

A1 Austria CEO Marcus Grausam sums it up: “Our long-term partnership is characterized by a number of technical innovations on the one hand, but is also supported by great trust and respectful interaction with one another. Together we have developed further during this time - we are both concerned with the topics of technology and speed and the will to keep getting better. For example, GSM and SMS were state-of-the-art in our country at the end of the 1990s. Today we are talking about 5G, fiber optics and the Internet of Things.”

ÖSV President Roswitha Stadlober adds: “Material evolutions have been driving skiing technology forward since the 1990s. The skis became shorter, the range of motion more flexible. Carving skis promoted the carving technique, which was initially particularly popular with recreational athletes and snowboarders. In the meantime, technical alpine skiing would be unthinkable without short boards and tight carving. What I appreciate most about our cooperation with A1 is that we treat each other as equals and always with respect, define common goals and walk the path together."

Both organizations are currently focusing on the topics of diversity, the advancement of women and young people and climate protection. “The topics of responsibility and the promotion of young talent are very important to both of us. There is an intensive exchange here, and we also work on joint projects,” say Stadlober and Grausam.

This should remain the case for the next five years. Incidentally, Renate Götschl won the first big “joint” victory in Sestriere in 1997 with gold at the World Championships, at that time still with the PTA logo on the racing suit. Countless successes followed, including from Michaela Dorfmeister, Anna Veith, Hermann Maier, Marcel Hirscher and Andi Goldberger.

"If you ask us about the secret of our success, how such a long-term professional partnership can work well, the same applies as in the private sphere: trust, mutual support, fun and solidarity, but also constructive criticism in difficult times," conclude Stadlober and Grausam.