Franz Klammer can be considered the greatest downhill skier of all time having won 25 downhill races, a record that still stands today in the men's race. Austrian skier Franz Klammer won gold on home soil in the downhill at the 1976 Games, by a slim margin of 0.33 seconds. Championships in Schladming in February 2013. It was a huge achievement, as there was so much pressure on him prior to that Olympic race. So I decided to take even more risks.. The preceding ski season had been terrific, too, as big crowds closely followed Italys unpredictable phenomenon Alberto Tomba, who was dominating the World Cup that season with six victories and a second place standing in the technical events. From 1948 through 1980, the Winter Olympics were also the World Championships for alpine skiing. Klammer, a simple young man, was more comfortable with the C4s. In an interview with Austrian television in 2006, the 52-year-old Klammer was asked about his greatest achievement. Its in the hearts and minds of Austrians its still there. The FULL unedited original legendary run of Franz Klammer at the 1976 Innsbruck Olymps! At the intermediate time, he was behind Russi. But Franz Klammer's career took an exceptional turn when he won in front of a huge crowd during the Innsbruck Games on 5 February 1976. I always thought, I will never be able to find a woman who Im going to love, said Klammer, pausing to collect his thoughts. This was the man standing between Klammer had his Gold Medal. Russi vividly recalls the long wait in the finish and the momentum of the crowd that carried Franz Klammer to victory. After his skiing career, he became a racing driver and raced touring cars until the 1990s. But, with Eva, it was immediate. Hes loved by everybody and he had an amazing career. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. 2 Years of Sipping Sports A Sip of Sports. In skiing, its the Swiss Alps and the Austrian Alps that define the sport. Many of the top guns failed to control their line in the tricky parts of the course. Klammer abandoned the acknowledged optimum track and chased a line that had never been skied on Patscherkofel. Whether I win it or crash, there was nothing in between. Klammer started racing at the relatively late age of 14, competing in the winter whilst working on the family farm during the summer after he dropped out of school. I was kicking in her belly because my mother was so excited the whole time.. Franz Klammer produced one of the most thrilling moments in alpine racing history with his reckless gold-medal run on the treacherous Patscherkofel downhill course at Innsbruck, Austria in February 1976. Even today, he is emotional in telling it. Franz everyone knows him!, In his heart, Kresse believed in the story. 1. Ortlieb takes flight over the mens downhill course on his way to winning gold at Albertville. The older generation of established alpine speed specialists from that timeled by Swiss racers Daniel Mahrer, William Besse and 1991 downhill FIS world champion Franz Heinzerhad great difficulties in negotiating La Face with their traditional style, which was to enter the turns at full speed and throw the skis sideways to change direction. Sunday, February 26 2023 Breaking News. Everyones heart was in their throats and on the edge of their seat. He met fans who vividly re-lived their own experiences of Feb. 5, 1976. I think it put him at a higher level, too, with his own confidence. Klammer won every downhill in the 1975 season, except Megve, where one of his skis came off. 1999 - 2019 Skiing History. There were some hot meetings within the Austrian squad, but the other racers didnt want to miss their chance for an Olympic medal just a few hours before the start of the show. The media were omnipresent. It includes the original US broadcast commentary from ABC. Klammer Express, his other nickname, continued to dominate his sport until 1978, then he suffered a loss of momentum which led notably to him not being selected for the very strong Austrian downhill team for the Lake Placid Games in 1980. He followed him through the day soaking in the cultural experience. Patrick Ortliebs win was the first surprise of the mens Olympics events at Val dIsre, yet he confirmed his success in the following seasons with significant triumphs on the World Cup tour, including winning the legendary Hahnenkamm race at Kitzbhel. He won 4 more times in 1976 leading up to the Olympics. One of the most important things I got out of sport were friendships, said Klammer. We were hardly breathing. There was a sense of calm an indicator of confidence as the 22-year-old athlete put his poles over the starting wand. He would win 26 World Cup Downhills between 1973 and 1984. The two became friends. We had briefly seen Witt during our walk under the crowded stands, as she was exercising with her trainer, Jutta Mueller. Chasing the Line. They shared an embrace, some laughs and watched a film that showcased the sport that formed the DNA of their lives on snow. He also earned the Olympic gold medal at the 1976 Winter Olympics wining the Downhill event. They also had a great time in California, so it was no surprise when Arnold came the following year to Beaver Creek to encourage his friend, who clinched two more gold medals at the 1999 Ski World Championships. And suddenly, there were 60,000 people in the stadium and the whole mountain started to shake, Bernhard Russi explains. I had seen in training that a few skiers, including Ken Read of Canada, had tested a straighter yet very risky line there. Alongside the ski track outside Innsbruck, 60,000 fans lined the piste. He would be the last of the real contenders to go off, an advantage in that he would know what time was needed, but a disadvantage because of the damage done to the course by the first 14 skiers. We became close friends and it was fun, said Klammer. Alpine Skiing. The two became friends. Franz Klammer - 1976 Olympic Gold Medal Run franzweberinc 113 subscribers 509K views 13 years ago The greatest downhill of ALL time! Klammers only hope was to chase a line that no one felt could be skied. A fan of the Klagenfurt ice hockey team KAC, Klammer liked the film. Jan. 01, 1977 - Franz Klammer the 'winner' 5 th downhill - race of Stock Photo, Royalty Free Image: 69487594 - Alamy . Her last victoryin the Olympic downhill at Lake Placid in 1980was particularly emotional and a great story, too. Ian Wooldridge the long-time sports writer for the London Daily Mail summed up Klammers feat best: The greatest single sporting achievement in my lifetime and no doubt beyond.. Photo caption:Italian superstarAlberto Tomba won gold in slalom and GS at Calgary, then cheered from the side of the rink as Katarina Witt of East Germany claimed her second Olympic figure-skating title. ago I remember being a kid seeing this live and thinking how close to death he pushed himself. Nicknamed "Gold-Rosi" in her native Germany, her gold medal in the Downhill at the 1976 Olympics was the only international win in the event during her career. As a consolation prize, Proell won the FIS gold medal for her success in the three-event combined, yet she apparently threw the medal away after receiving it. I am not a skiing fan. We discuss out recent trip to Innsbruck, Austria along with Patricia Frommer (Frommers.com, Frommer Guides) who adds her perspective. Several times he sailed through the air with arms flailing and skis askew, but he always. The screams of thousands of spectators must have been heard for miles. At the World Championships from 1954 through 1980, the combined was a "paper race" using the results of the three events (DH, GS, SL). Game 6 of the 1975 World Series Reds v. Red Sox 4. In an interview before the Games, La Bomba told the press that his dad, Franco, might buy him a Ferrari if he clinched two gold medals in Canadaa mission he accomplished by winning the slalom and the GS. His fans adored his down-to-earth personality and his aggressive style. Even though I had nothing to prove here, its a special victory after that nightmare in Japan. The Austrian was obviously relieved to have blown away the dark clouds of Sapporo that had haunted her. It turned out that powerful skiers could exit the turns with amazing acceleration, a situation that caused some spectacular crashes. Just past halfway he nearly went off the course, but he kept picking up speed, reaching near 80 miles per hour at the bottom of the course. Seen here at Inghams 'Discovery Day' celebrating their 75th Anniversary at the Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon. He was adorable, said Witt of her time with La Bomba. Russi was selected to design the course by Jean-Claude Killy, co-president of the 1992 Olympic organizing committee, who used to ski on that part of the Bellevarde slope as a kid. But in that year, 1975, I had won all the World Cup races. Franz Klammer - 1976 Olympic Downhill Gold Medal performance Rambo Nov 4, 2009 1 2 Next Nov 4, 2009 #1 Rambo Member Joined Sep 8, 2008 Messages 890 Points 16 Location Binghamton, NY Anybody remember this? Background Born into a farming family in Mooswald, community Fresach, Carinthia, in 1953. Become a member and join a community of people who care about skiing! He was 84. At 60, Franz Klammer remains a charismatic and ruggedly dishy figure, along Liam Neeson lines. Klammer overwhelmingly dominated the downhill event for four consecutive World Cup seasons (1975-78). The project really came to us with a big burden, said Schmied, echoing Pochlatkos concerns. Franz legendary race was one month before I was born, he said. He knew what was necessary to show and not to over act. More Memorable Moments. To film with authenticity, producers had new equipment manufactured to make it look old. His final World Cup race was in March 1985 at Aspen, Colorado. He also remains close to Russi. On race day, she stayed laser-focused as she made her way down the course, despite strong gusts of wind that disturbed some of her main rivals, including Nadig. Franz Klammer, sterreichischer Skirennlufer und Olympiasieger. First off, Patscherkofel was quite a placid downhill run compared to the Hahnenkamm. Bernhard and I, we are really close friends and appreciate each others company. He would finish as the top downhill skier a record five times (1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1983). Suddenly there were 60,000 people in the stadium and the whole mountain began to shake. Klammer did not have classic ski technique, he came out of the gate fearlessly, right on the edge. He won the gold medal in the downhill event at the 1976 Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria. Frank Gifford who passed away yesterday at the age of 84 was known most as a Hall of Fame football player and the play-by-play man on Monday Night Football. Franz Klammer won only one Olympic medal, but that was the one that mattered - at Innsbruck in 1976. Klammer has remained one of the sports biggest fans. They were at my grandparents (house) and they watched the race with the neighbors. I think he is skiing right now at Sun Valley and I know his ski instructor. Franz Klammer In 1976, How the legendary Austrian skier won one of the most exciting Olympic downhill races of all time. After his victories, Alberto told me hed be pleased to watch East Germanys attractive superstar Katarina Witt competing at the ice arena in Calgary. He was adorable. He would win on skiings toughest downhill course, Kitzbuhel, an incredible four times. For some, that means weekends with the family driving to a ski resort. The Italian skier, closely followed by a crew from a U.S. network, was proudly wearing his two Olympic gold medals around his neck. Franz Klammer is one of the all-time legendsof skiing. Everyone got nervous after defending Olympic champion Bernhard Russi from Switzerland set the best time after a nearly flawless run. Associated Press Russi calls the race, which was featured in the recently released film "Chasing the Line,". At a trade show in Berlin, he met Vienna filmmaker Jakob Pochlatko of epo-film, a third-generation family-owned production company. Well let Bernhard Russi describe; I was down number three and was leading and one after another came down and I was still leading, still leading, still leading, still leading. Franz Klammer of Austria. At the 1976 Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria, Russi nearly retained his Olympic title with a very fast time in the downhill at Patscherkofel, but took the silver medal. Bill Johnson was born in Los Angeles, California, on March 30, 1960, and moved with his family to Boise, Idaho, when he was seven.He learned to ski at Bogus Basin in the late 1960s. Really the whole mountain was shaking when Franz came down, he recalls. He was the gold medalist at the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, winning the downhill at Patscherkofel by a margin of 0.33 seconds with a time of 1:45.73. I was not sure how much time I gained or lost, yet it gave me so much determination that I kept risking everything until the last meter. So I decided to take even more risks than I had planned, especially in the Ochsenschlag section. During the 1970s and early 1980s, Austrian downhill-skiing star Franz Klammer won 25 races on the World Cup circuit. Born into a farming family in Mooswald, community Fresach, Carinthia, and like many alpine farm boys, Klammer skied to school each winter day. The streets across the nation were empty and factory workers received a special break, so they could watch the event on TV with millions of their compatriots. We were hiking all day long and skiing., He rode his first chairlift at eight, and he didnt start ski racing until he was 14. No. Didier Cuche won his fifth Hahnenkamm last January. Nearly two hours later, they came back smiling. He could sense it himself. He was the gold medalist at the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, winning the downhill at Patscherkofel by a margin of 0.33 seconds with a time of 1:45.73. Rahlves, too, is in a fascinating place in Austrian ski history. At the 1984 Olympics in Sarajevo, (then Yugoslavia, now Bosnia), Klammer finished a disappointing tenth on a less-than-challenging course on Bjelanica. At 1.35 is when he takes a line that no other skier dared to on the day and that is to cut harder left, slingshotting him forward faster. I couldnt stop thinking about it. He is considered the best-ever Downhill skier who dominated the competitions in the seventies and the eighties. movie character played by Arnold Schwarzenegger. As we approached her, Mueller, who recognized Tomba and might have read about his wish to meet her protg, pushed Katarina into another room, so she wouldnt be distracted by the handsome Italian playboy. A great career only becomes exceptional with the ultimate title an Olympic gold medal. But it lacked an antagonist someone to create tension. He was on the edge the entire trip down the hill, several times he looked like he was out of control and going to wreck. His yellow racing suit wasnt as crisp and flashy as the other golden Austrian uniforms. And there was only one leftit was Franz Klammer. Russi continued; Franz Klammer was in the starting gate. And the two met that night at The Londoner forging both a friendship and a partnership in telling the story of ski racing that has spanned nearly two decades. Yet this time, she was the hunter: Nadig had dominated the previous downhill races, winning six out of seven, as well as a giant slalom. But she still appeared confident heading into the Games. They also brought the 1976 downhill race course back to life, albeit with machine grooming to make it a bit more racer friendly. After that, he was known as The Herminator. Ortlieb is a well-known name in Alsace; I think I know some of his relatives, explained Lang, who was also born in Alsace in 1920. During the filming last February, Rahlves was held as a ski hero by the locals, some of whom would hike up to watch the filming. During the evening, Witt expressed her desire to ski once with Alberto, who had just collected his third Olympic title in giant slalom at Val dIsre. One of them had also briefly mentioned The Herminator, a combination of his first name and the invincible Terminator movie character, played by another Austrian legend, Arnold Schwarzenegger. document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); Enter your email address to get the news and post directly to your e-mail. Twice he took the concept to filmmakers and twice it went nowhere. In 1990, Klammer won a round of the prestigious European Touring Car Championship. He was so eager to play the Franz Klammer and do it right.. And he took a three-win streak, including his second straight Hahnenkamm win, into the Olympics. He didnt and he won the gold medal. This article first appeared in the January/February 2014 issue of Skiing History magazine. [] 3. The crowd went nuts as the announcers in ABCs commentator boothFrank Gifford, Bob Beattie and their special host Jackie Stewart, the former Formula One world car-racing championtold the world the results. Hermann Maier. We go for a beer and some nice talks, said Mayer. Ortliebs daughter, a tall racer and 17-year-old beauty named Nina, is now a member of the Austrian C squad after achieving some promising international results. Finally!! Your email address will not be published. Instead, he was born in the southernmost Austrian state of Carinthia, a region with lesser-known mountains and a bit outside the ski racing spotlight. Two or three times we tried to bring a good story. She fought for her rights, yet lost focus and energy during the intense political battle. He remains the king of the downhill, the most successful skier of anyone in his discipline in the World Cup. definitely," said the 1976 Olympic champion, whose name is still synonymous with the glamour and danger of Alpine ski . He suffered disappointment at the Sarajevo Games in 1984 with 10th place, and competed for the last time in March 1985 at Aspen with a World Cup record of 26 wins, 45 podiums and 87 top 10 places. Rather than retire, he worked long and hard at a comeback. The 1974-75 winter was practically perfect for Kaiser . Right: Schwarzenegger and Maier. They also required more feeling from the racers, who needed to steer them continuously from the entrance to the exit of each turn. A season earlier in 1974-75, he won an unprecedented eight World Cup downhills. Few past stars of ski sport command attention today like Franz Klammer. In a quick one-camera interview I made with him later on, he added, Ill be back!, During one of our early morning production meetings at the CBS office at Hakuba, I discussed Hermanns chance to excel in the Super G with play-by-play announcer Tim Ryan. And Klammer was winning big on its C4 skis. I was so convinced that I can do it. The Klammer story, yah, it was epic, said Schmied, a Styrian-born writer and director who, like most Austrians, was on skis before he was two. While the 1976 downhill gold medal is his calling card, the long term athletic success he achieved has rarely been rivaled, even a half-century later. In the end Klammer decided to use his old skis. It was an interesting way to showcase his biggest victory. The Olympic Games were in Innsbruck, Austria and there was tremendous pressure on Klammer to win the gold medal. In the 1976 Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria, the stakes rose. Hes one of the very few persons who seemed to do everything right. Thats a fun story. Russi had won the 1972 Olympic Gold Medal in Sapporo, Japan. No problem, lets meet tomorrow afternoon, he said. The 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary were particularly intense, with ten alpine competitions held over two weeks. Nov 4, 2009 #2 Warp Daddy Active member Joined Jan 12, 2006 Originals 01:52. Alpine Skiing Legend Franz Klammer Relives His 1976 Olympic Run | ISOS006 In Search of Speed 8.67K subscribers Subscribe 822 Share 182K views 8 years ago For your throwback Thursday enjoyment. Others had tried to make a film about Franz Klammer for quite some time and nobody quite got it correct. I had to look into it is there even a movie there? he said. Lineage: Original Scotch VHS 3Hr (1980) SP- Panasonic NVHS-960 SVHS (Gold edition - Mint) - SVIDEO lead - Canopus ADVC300 - Firewire - PC /w/ Sony Vegas with Neatvideo plugin - TMPGENC (Deint - 50fps mp4 3000bitrate) Youtube. They tried to do some kind of a glamour biopic.. The Swiss favorite came in third this time, behind Moser-Proell and silver medalist Hanni Wenzel, who took gold in slalom and GS. This is all the sweeter when it is won in front of more than 60,000 focused supporters and millions of Austrians gathered in front of their TV sets across the country. [1] He spent 13 seasons on the World Cup circuit, from December 1972 to March 1985. Curling. The whole family was sitting in front of the TV. It was the best babysitter because I was already out there on skis, skiing up and down to a little village up in the mountain. The Austrian nation would accept nothing short of a Gold as they hosted the World. Christian Kresse, the tourism chief for the state of Carinthia, wanted to change that and to bring Klammers story to the screen a process that began nearly eight years earlier. This time, Alberto could not attend her performance, but Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf was sitting next to me. It was always a big goal for me to be like Franz Klammer. The second speed event, the Super-G, was not a World Cup event until December 1982, at the twilight of Klammer's World Cup career. 1. Klammer came into the 1976 Olympics with three straight World Cup downhill wins and back-to-back Hahnenkamm titles. Klammer and Strobl became lifelong friends, sharing a hunting lodge in late September before the films debut in Zurich. Alberto Tomba won gold in slalom and GS at Calgary, then cheered from the side of the rink as Katarina Witt of East Germany claimed her second Olympic figure-skating title. Literally, the entire mountain was shaking, said Russi. I cant believe it, he has been amazing! Stewart said. I've won so many things, without the Olympic title it would have been a good career, but not a great career. The Olympic Games plus the FIS World Championships, Franz Klammer was also crowned World Champion on that day. Franzs wife said, no, sorry, that is not a story.. He had super experience in filmmaking. He would retire in 1984 as Austrias Greatest Athlete. Italy's Gustav Thni defeated Sweden's Ingemar Stenmark in the finals and won his fourth overall title in five years. In 1975 and 1976 he was the best downhill skier in the world. Entering the 1976 Winter Olympics, the 22-year-old Klammer was the favourite to take the gold medal in the downhill at Innsbruck in his native Austria. Above: Maier on the GS course in Nagano. "The most important victory for a downhiller is Kitzbuhel because in my opinion it's the most complete race," Austrian legend Franz Klammer, the 1976 Olympic downhill champion, told CNN Sport. He was adorable, said Witt of her time with La Bomba. A season earlier in 1974-75, he won an unprecedented eight World Cup downhills. His technique over an icy slope, his jumping skills and his ability to find incredible race lines remain absolutely unique. In 1975 and 1976 he was the best downhill skier in the world. Enjoy!! There is tough and turny Patscherkofel above Innsbruck, site of the 1976 Olympics and the magnificent victory of the Austrian Franz Klammer in a performance that is considered the best single downhill run ever made. A dozen years later, Fischer had a strong racing product. Heres the scorecard: 25 World Cup downhill wins the most by any man in history (Stephan Eberharter has 18). But I knew I had to risk everything. This success means a lot to me after all those years, she told reporters at the post-race press conference that I was running in the modest base lodge of the resort. Instead, it focuses on the microcosm of his relationship with Eva as they are spirited away from the finish in an ambulance before she drives him from Tyrol back to Carinthia the next day. Franz was getting treated like a king coming into that race, said Rahlves. To shoot the film, producers literally took over Patscherkofel, taking the revered race course back in time. Two years later, bothTomba and Witt competed again at Lillehammer. For Kaiser Franz, this moment of triumph happened on the 3,020m of the Patscherkofel in Innsbruck on Thursday 5 February 1976. But he was inspired, going on to win Olympic downhill gold on the gnarly Grizzly Run at Snowbasin in 2002 and became a rare double Hahnenkamm sieger. Alone together after the race, Eva looked into Franzs eyes and asked him: Did you always want to be famous? He responds simply: Story behind Franz Klammers historic 1976 downhill gold, Chris Sarandon could play iconic role in Book of Tobit film , Oscars 2022: Denmark aims for second consecutive win with festival favourite Flee | News, House Bill 232 Polling place prohibitions Idaho Freedom Idaho Freedom Foundation, Capitalist profiteering and competition why are shelves empty? One of his early moves was to position Fischer as an elite ski product, investing in racing and having the good fortune in 1964 of Austrian Egon Zimmermann winning downhill gold on Patscherkofel on Fischer skis, vaulting the small company into the spotlight. He was paired with Frank Gifford to call one of the Winter Olympics' most famous ski races for ABC - Austrian great Franz Klammer's electric downhill run to capture gold in 1976. I knew that Daron understood how Klammer was skiing, said Salmina. And I personally think there is somewhere that power from spectators they can pull him down. Born: Dec. 3, 1958 (Mooswald, Carinthia, Austria) There was plenty of passion and experience with Salmina, whose Mount St. Elias and Streif were captivating works. Unable to make the four-member Austrian downhill team for the 1980 Olympics, Klammer could not defend his Olympic title at the 1980 Winter Olympics in Lake Placid. But she was always a huge support from the beginning, sitting always in the background and just being there. 0.33 seconds seasons ( 1975-78 ) 1976 Games, by a slim margin of 0.33 seconds, was... Competed again at Lillehammer final World Cup downhills nice talks, said Schmied, echoing Pochlatkos concerns set best. 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