by The skiing behind Franz Klammer – the hero of all Austrian sports – makes anyone lucky enough to share a hike with him. Revered as perhaps the greatest downhill racer in history, his first place finish. Would you outsmart Emerson Fittipaldi or James Hunt?
Unfortunately, that’s what I did. It was not, of course, for the purpose. Intent on excitement and survival, I skied 20 meters past Franz before he realized that he had stopped briefly for a few of the younger – well, middle aged – group members to catch up. Focus, Peter. Age is no excuse for a momentary lapse in concentration in the presence of the maestro.
The younger Millennials and members of Gen Z may be struggling to understand who – and what – I’m talking about. The 1970s, when Franz Klammer ruled the world of snow, is a decade away now, but to me, it seems like yesterday.
“You can’t beat the clock of life, but at my age, I can still enjoy skiing as much as ever,” said Franz, as we rode the gondola together during three days celebrated his 70th birthday milestone, at his home. The Austrian resort of Badkleinkirchheim, close to the border with Slovenia.
An important endorsement for those of us skiing happily into our 70s and hopefully beyond. You can’t mess with time. But 50 years ago Franz had a good try at it.
His illustrious career hinged on carving hundredths of a second out of his rivals at speeds of up to 80mph.
For four memorable years in the 1970s, he dominated the blue riband event of ski racing, won Olympic Gold at Innsbruck in 1976, as well as 25 individual race victories. Among them were four on the famous Streif course on the Hahnenkamm in Kitzbühel, which has a reputation as the most challenging on the World Cup circuit.
Franz told me in Kitzbühel one January as we watched the racers fly 80 meters through the air on the infamous Mausfalle jump: “There is no single winner on the Streif. Every contestant who finishes in one piece is the winner.”
The opportunity to ski another run with Franz was an invitation I couldn’t refuse. About 40 of the people who were down a hill felt the biggest ever – both men and women, between 33 and 75 years old. They gathered in Badkleinkirchheim to take part in the Race of Legends and later raised a significant number of glasses to the Grand Duke of Austrian skiing.
Among them was Konrad Bartelski, Britain’s most successful victim yet, who competed for ten years against Franz on the World Cup circuit. He won it in fifth place at Val Gardena in 1981, losing just 0.11 seconds. These days, the great Dave Ryding is making inroads into the history books, but Konrad’s incredible run years ago is Britain’s best ever downhill result.
“It was a long lasting friendship,” Konrad said. “Mainly, I finished behind him – as, for a few months, in the race to reach 70. But I can tell you, after Val Gardena Franz, he was not happy about being beaten by an Englishman!”
A crowd of hundreds of enthusiastic local fans gathered at the end to watch the event.
“This,” explained Franz before the start, “is the one race I cannot win. I go down first and then all the others have to come as close to my time as they can, faster or slower.
“For a young man, it will be very difficult to ski as slowly as I do. For the others, it will be very difficult to ski as fast as I do.”
In the end, it was 56-year-old Patrick Ortlieb from Lech who won the gold medal on the nasty La Face course in Val d’Isère at the 1992 Albertville Olympics, winning within eight hundredths of a second of seconds of Franz’s time.
At the finish line, the conversation between former competitors, many of them meeting for the first time in years, focused not on past victories, but on the number of grandchildren. Franz and his wife Eva have three children: “Two boys and a girl. They chase me around. It’s great fun, they’re already on skis and I’m leading a very happy life.”
But he said: “As I go through the gates again, the thrill is coming back.” At 70, Franz Klammer’s light remains undimmed.
Fundamentals
How to ski with Franz Klammer
These expert winter skiers can join Klammer on the Ski Before 9am Badklinkirchheim program on three dates: January 9 and February 6, 13 and 20. From €195 including breakfast on the mountain.
How to get there
The nearest airport is Klagenfurt (60 minutes), which is served by regular Ryanair flights from Stansted. Ljubljana, across the border in Slovenia, is a 90-minute transfer. Salzburg, served by many airlines including easyJet, is 150 minutes away.
Where to stay
The five-star Das Ronacher Therme & Spa Resort has indoor and outdoor pools, a saltwater pool with underwater music and meditation areas, and a sauna. Double rooms cost from £499 per night, half board.
