Two days before his big race the makers of his skis, Fischer, wanted him to use their new design. It was a little intimidation factor for the others. Thats how I won that day., Photo caption:The race course was rough and the pressure was onwhen Klammer pushed out of the starting hut in thedownhill. Photo caption:Hermann Maiers nickname, the Herminator, was inspired at the 1998 Games by themovie character played by Arnold Schwarzenegger. 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. One of the most exciting sports events I have ever witnessed was Franz Klammers 1976 Winter Olympic run for the gold in the downhill. If anybody could do it, its for sure Hermann, I explained with great optimism. . This can only be described as a Kamikaze run on the edge of suicide. The last, 11 years later in 1984, at the age of 30, is worthy of a second movie. Olymipc downhill champion 1976 (Innsbruck). The mind of a downhill skier - Franz Klammer Innsbruck 1976 | Olympic Winter games. The whole family was sitting in front of the TV. Patrick Ortlieb admitted afterwards that he had a French passport lying around somewhere at home, yet he was happy to race for Austria. Finally in December 1981, after another ski change from Kneissl to Blizzard, he won at Val-d'Isre. I was so convinced that I can do it. He showed me plenty of tricks and we had so much fun, she told me afterwards as we sat down to enjoy hot chocolate and cakes. Schranz didnt want to leave Japan alone and he put pressure on the entire team to fly back home with him. Twice he took the concept to filmmakers and twice it went nowhere. Thats what I liked.. Two years later, bothTomba and Witt competed again at Lillehammer. The FULL unedited original legendary run of Franz Klammer at the 1976 Innsbruck Olymps! He was 21st on a day where Austria swept the first nine places behind winner Hermann Maier. Chasing the Line. The feature-length film debuted with a screening Sept. 27 at the Zurich Film Festival. The Austrian former champion alpine ski racer dominated the event for four consecutive World Cup seasons and was gold medallist in 1976. At Lake Placid she managed to stay quiet, resolute and ready for the last assault. In February, he caught attention with a silver in downhill at the World Championships in St. Moritz albeit over a second behind his teammate David Zwilling. Yes. He became famous in 1998 after clinching two Olympic gold medalsin Super G and GSat Nagano despite a horrific crash in downhill. His tiny village of Mooswald, north of Villach, was situated in the mountains but without a ski lift. He was adorable. Franz Klammer records his fourth victory on the famed Hahnenkamm in Kitzbuhel, Austria. Austria in February 2013. Franz Klammer (born 3 December 1953) is a former champion alpine ski racer from Austria. Ive never seen so much pressure put on one man my entire life, opined ABCs Bob Beattie. 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. She was one of the first people who came in and she just blew me away, said Schmied. At his peak (Wengen 1976 to Wengen 1977), Klammer won ten consecutive downhills, including the pressure-laden win at the 1976 Olympics. Alberto Tomba. 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. definitely," said the 1976 Olympic champion, whose name is still synonymous with the glamour and danger of Alpine ski . Showings in the United States and Canada are pending. Another surprise was revealed later when my father, World Cup founder Serge Lang, intrigued by Patricks last name, discovered that he was a double national: Austrian, as he was born in that country from an Austrian mother, but also French through his dad, a cook from Alsace, who had emigrated to Lech to work, raise a family and run the Montana Hotel there. In 1974, he took home World Championship gold in combined at St. Moritz, silver in downhill. He was the gold medalist at the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, winning the downhill at Patscherkofel by a . ! He retired from international competition at age 31.Klammer finished with 26 World Cup victories, 45 podiums and 87 top ten finishes (71 downhill, 5 combined, 11 giant slalom). Their story was truly one for the big screen. One of the most important things I got out of sport were friendships, said Klammer. On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. So thats the thing, you know?, Last month the two met again at the Zurich Film Festival for a screening of. The mind of a downhill skier - Franz Klammer. Pochlatko tracked down the director to talk about his engagement in telling Franz story. This is where most biopics fail. Chasing the Line screenplay does a masterful job in capturing the pressure he felt that week. Rahlves used his own Atomic boots, touched up with paint to create an authentic 1976 look. And then I knew immediately that ski racing would be my life.. 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. Ill call him.. They have two daughters, Sophie and Stephanie.[1]. 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. Hes let his skis do the talking over the years and has won a place in the hearts of Austrians well, to a degree. 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. Four years later, they met for dinner and a private ski lesson. Enjoy!! Right: Schwarzenegger and Maier. Add to that his status as the greatest downhill skier in history, and the annual ski day he hosts in . I knew I only had a small chance to win, he, told the author. 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. With the original incredible commentary by ABC USA broadcasters Frank Gifford and Bob Beattie. It was a really fun course with all the elements of a good downhill, said Rahlves. The media were omnipresent. The following season he regained the World Cup Downhill title, his fifth, followed by the 1984 victory at Kitzbuehel, his fourth on the Hahnenkamm. When Klammers time at the starting gate came he knew exactly what needed to be done. He remembered that day in 1976 as a six-year-old boy, crowded together with his kindergarten classmates watching on a miniature television at school. Alpine Skiing Legend Franz Klammer Relives His 1976 Olympic Run | ISOS006. Thanks for bringing that memory back. 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. The first choice to play the role of Franz was Julian Waldner. Nearly two hours later, they came back smiling. I worked as a ski instructor when I was a student. While Klammers Olympic spot was fixed, his teammates were battling for start rights in training. Others had tried to make a film about Franz Klammer for quite some time and nobody quite got it correct. And hes still a big hero today., Mayer echoed the pride of his Austrian state. His career total is 26 downhill wins: 25 World Cup and 1 Olympic. The next one minute, 45.73 seconds would change Franz Klammers life forever. Russi had won the 1972 Olympic Gold Medal in Sapporo, Japan. What the hell. Hermann Maiers nickname, the Herminator, was inspired at the 1998 Games by the. Hermann Maier. His rival, Russi, drew number 3 the optimum start position given weather conditions. Above: Maier on the GS course in Nagano. But I knew I had to risk everything. I had to look into it is there even a movie there? he said. 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? In skiing, its the Swiss Alps and the Austrian Alps that define the sport. Behind that, though, is a true love story that contributed to his athletic success. This was the 1976 Winter Olympic Games in Innsbruck - the men's downhill, the blue riband event - and the yellow flash was Franz Klammer, Austrian national hero and pre-race favourite. An all-too-fitting mantra for the ski racing pioneer who helped launch the World Cup circuit more than 50 years ago and was part of the commentary crew that called one of the most thrilling. Gifford hosted "Wide World of Sports," covered several Olympics -- his call of Franz Klammer's gold-medal run in 1976 is considered a broadcasting masterpiece -- and announced a record 411 Monday . 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. He met fans who vividly re-lived their own experiences of Feb. 5, 1976. He was from Carinthia, the right age, almost the right build, he won a couple of ski races when he was a boy. He also remains close to Russi. Bernhard Russi stared up at the massive 1976 Olympic downhill course at Innsbruck, Austria, clinging to the fastest time of the day and waiting for one final top racer: Austrian star Franz Klammer . And she is still playing one of the most important roles in my life. The man to beat was the Swiss competitor Bernhard Russi, title-holder after his victory at the Sapporo Games in 1972 and who intended to retain his sceptre. We had briefly seen Witt during our walk under the crowded stands, as she was exercising with her trainer, Jutta Mueller. Franz Klammer, a former champion alpine ski racer, has a net worth of $45 million. It includes the original US broadcast commentary from ABC. Innsbruck 1976 | Olympic Winter games. But she was always a huge support from the beginning, sitting always in the background and just being there. He won the gold medal in the downhill event at the 1976 Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria. A season earlier in 1974-75, he won an unprecedented eight World Cup downhills. He knew what was necessary to show and not to over act. Everyones heart was in their throats and on the edge of their seat. Thanks to special accreditations, we were standing right at the rink when Witt started to perform. But Kresse, a notable figure in marketing, found it hard to bring his dream to closure. 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