Sliding for the World Champs

The final preparations are in full swing

While the final work on the grandstands, tents, traffic concepts and catering stations for the more than 1,500 volunteers is visible to everyone, an incredible number of meetings, training sessions, familiarisation sessions and final discussions with the participating teams are taking place in the background.

Today I'm meeting Gerhard Kloimstein and Reini Eder - the two of them are the bosses of the so-called ‘Slider Crew’ in the women's competitions. They provide an exciting insight into an indispensable part of the racing action that demands the utmost concentration from everyone involved. 

The sliders - a strong team! 
A total of 85 volunteers will be at the start as sliders. The core team consists of 35 volunteers, the others are deployed as required. In this case, need means: weather and snow conditions as well as the different types of competitions. The different start times and piste conditions require a precise concept, which must also leave room for spontaneous changes due to rapidly changing conditions. 

Many of them have already taken part in the 2024 World Cup finals. Although around two thirds of the teams are made up of men, there are more and more women on the team. The volunteers come from all over Austria, Germany, Switzerland and beyond.  

Preparations for the race 
Gerhard and Reini have been working on the concepts since the summer and hold regular meetings with the sliders. Many of them have already gained important experience at major events such as the World Cup finals. Most of those involved already know each other. Numerous meetings and online discussions create enough time and space to explain the exact procedures. The slider video produced is also good preparation for the participants. Real slider training sessions on the piste then take place a few days before the races. So everyone is well prepared. 

Clear concepts for smooth processes 
The race course is divided into two sections - the upper and lower piste areas. Depending on the weather and piste conditions, two to three or more sliding stops are allocated to each section. The stops in turn supervise the individual sliders, who are each responsible for up to five gates. The stops are connected to each other by radio so that they can act quickly during the race. Once the individual sliders have completed their gates, they return to the track, take the gondola to the start and the race begins again. 

The sliders are numbered and personally accredited. This is important for clear communication. The aim is to ensure that the race is not interrupted. The exceptions are of course emergencies, falls or other safety-related incidents. A distance of two to three seconds should be maintained after the racer so as not to irritate the athlete or the spectators at TV broadcasts. This requires maximum concentration from everyone involved, especially in the speed events. 

But what exactly does a slider do? 
Sliders are generally responsible for ensuring that any snow between the racers is pushed out and grooves are repaired so that all athletes have the same conditions. A task that is carried out in parallel slides or with a snow plough and requires maximum concentration. The racers must not be disturbed or irritated under any circumstances and it is important that everyone is 100% focussed. It is physically and mentally exhausting - being a slider requires maximum commitment! 

What does a sliding holiday look like? 
Many of the sliders come from the immediate neighbourhood and travel to the races, training sessions and meetings. Others, some of whom come from other countries, spend the night in the valley. Depending on the weather and snow conditions, the evenings can be quite short. All the volunteers are well catered for - the local catering company Eventcars has put together an incredible concept. Depending on their mood, the volunteers then dine and celebrate together before putting their tired skiers' calves up later. 

3 questions for Gerhard & Reini  

What does a good slider need to have? 
In addition to very good equipment (skis with very good edges), the requirements for a slider are excellent skiing skills, a strong basic level of fitness, good attentiveness and very good teamwork skills. It is important that the concepts are implemented as created and that everyone pulls together. By the way, there's no upper limit - the oldest skier is in his mid-70s and does an exemplary job. 

The perfect conditions - if you could wish for the weather, then... 
...we would like low temperatures and sunshine for the ideal piste. As the weather forecast currently looks very promising! 

What drives you? What is it that makes you spend countless hours on the slopes, and Reini, what makes you take a large part of your annual holiday for such major events? 
Reini: ‘I have to say that I find the relaxed atmosphere and the togetherness at major sporting events very special. You work, eat and celebrate together - the people who are there all have the same passion - alpine skiing. This positive team spirit really impresses me time and time again and shows me how important this kind of togetherness is for the resort.’ 

Gerhard: ‘In addition to the fun event, including the races and side events, I also think it's great to see the impact such an event has. The sustainable infrastructure for the village, the contacts you make with people from the ski scene, the advertising value for the entire region, the merchandising articles that are sold and find a nice place in people's homes. For me, the World Championships are a real boost for the future!’ 

Good to know: Ski operations remain 100% intact!
Early in the morning, the sliders, rescue teams, race organisers etc. take the 12er NORD lift up to the Zwölferkogel. The 12er KOGEL lift takes ski fans to the top in comfort. The ingenious concept ensures that the public run is also possible during the race. Interested spectators can cheer along the piste and follow the competitions. For those who don't want to do that, there are the usual easy slopes and countless downhill runs to choose from.