Kitzbuhel’s Legendary Hahnenkamm Downhill

Episode #9

This week’s Episode covers the craziest and most dangerous downhill course on the World Cup Circuit - Kitzbuhel’s Hahnenkahmm Downhill. From the Redbull Starthouse at the summit of the mountain, it winds its way down 2800 vertical feet to finish in the town of Kitzbuhel just feet from the train station. 50,000 fanatic fans will line cheering every racer as they take their turn at this wild course. If you win this downhill you instantly become a legend in the Ski World and even get a Gondola named after you.

This week, the American Downhillers Lew, AJ, Marco and Daron try to explain what it feels like to run this 2-mile monster while simultaneously trying to win AND stay alive. Marco describes what it’s like to crash his very first run down the Streif. Lew talks about vowing NEVER to run Kitzbuhel as a 15 year-old after seeing it for the first time as a sophomore at GMVS. AJ describes his historic run in 1992 landing him on the podium in second. And Daron takes us into his mind as he focused solely on being confident, present and ready to attack every run.

The boys take you turn by turn down this legendary course and give you a perfect visual to watch the races with this weekend. Learn all you need to know about the Maussefalle, Steilhang, Alte Schneise, Larchenschuss, Hausberg, Fallaway and Ziel Sprung. Listen in and discover what it is truly like to risk it all for the glory of a Kitzbuhel win.

And by the way, Daron won the Hahnenkahmm DH in 2003 - the only American racer to win in the modern World Cup era. He also won the Super-G in 2004! He shares what only winners know - what walking alone down the Sieger Strasse is like.

SHOW NOTES:

One Word to describe the Streif: Showtime - Consequential - Challenge

Their thoughts about the Hahnenkahmm course when they first heard about it as teenagers

Most asked question - What is going through your mind when standing in the starting gate of Kitz

The Course from Start to finish - section by section. How the boys skied it and what to look for this weekend in the two Downhills.

From the Start to the Road through the Maussefalle, Compression, Carousel and Steilhang. 26 seconds of absolute madness where the course is trying to crush the racers and the racers are trying to attack the course right back.

Then onto the road where racers take their first full breath after the start and then switch their focus to aerodynamics and riding a flat ski. Then comes the Alte Schneise and the Seidlalm jump and Larchenschuss - super important sections where racers like Bode have lost the race by nat taking it seriously.

What it is like to be an American Downhiller on the podium in Kitzbuhel, Austria.

Finally the boys talk about the toughest 20 seconds in Downhill - from the Hausberg to the Finish. A section full of nightmares. They try and describe the feeling of free-falling down the Fallaway all the way to the finish.

AJ then describes making history with his Second Place finish in 1992 - the first American Downhiller in the modern era to Podium at Kitzbuhel. And how he used that to motivate Daron to raise his game at Kitz. And then the Hahnenkahmm Sieger Daron Rahlves shares his experience of standing on the podium in Austria.