Synopsis: Barely 22, Franz Klammer finds himself at the "eye of the storm" when he shows up for the men's downhill competition at the 1976 Winter Olympic Games. And there was only one leftit was Franz Klammer. Russi continued; Franz Klammer was in the starting gate. 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. Everyone knows the Kaiser. But she still appeared confident heading into the Games. Chasing the Line. The feature-length film debuted with a screening Sept. 27 at the Zurich Film Festival. Then came the biggest blow. Possibly yes, he answered with a grin. I remember the race we were in the living room watching on TV in black and white, said Salmina, who was 11 at the time. He would finish as the top downhill skier a record five times (1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1983). Few past stars of ski sport command attention today like Franz Klammer. The Austrian nation would accept nothing short of a Gold as they hosted the World. 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. I remember, after he won, we all went outside and played like we were Franz Klammer!. I made a huge jump and thought I would crash, yet I managed to survive and land on my skis. Bernhard and I, we are really close friends and appreciate each others company. The course was rougher when a nervous Klammer pushed himself out of the starting hut. He didnt and he won the gold medal. She was always supporting me. Hes one of the very few persons who seemed to do everything right. Franz KLAMMER. Franz Klammer (right) with Bernhard Russi after the men's downhill in 1976. Mayer, a Hahnenkamm champion who won Olympic downhill gold at Rosa Khutor in 2014 and doubled up with super-G gold at PyeongChang, grew up literally on the other side of the mountain from Klammers home. To learn more, please visit www.franzweber.com Show. 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. I was so focused, I was so concentrated, just on the run and then half-way down, I was looking at the crowd, kind of now I'd better do something to win the race. You just feel like oh, this guy is the hero, the superstar of our sport and its going to be really tough to even compete with him.. During casting, Schmied and casting director Nicole Schmidt looked for actors and actresses right down to their age and the details of their regional dialect something tricky that changes over time. [1] He had a tough struggle to make the Austrian ski team, traditionally dominated by the states of Tyrol and Salzburg. He won his first aged only 19 in 1973 and including four victories in the Hahnenkamm at Kitzbuhel. At 60, Franz Klammer remains a charismatic and ruggedly dishy figure, along Liam Neeson lines. 1,154,848 views Dec 13, 2018 Finally!! 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. I had to ski out of control and make these little mistakes everywhere. He had a few interesting moments, skis up against the old picket fence, but never any really close calls. It was always a big goal for me to be like Franz Klammer. I liked his way of approaching that. Franz Klammer is an Austrian former Alpine ski racer known for dominating the Downhill skiing discipline. After his fourth consecutive season title in downhill in 1978, he began a prolonged slump until the end of the 1981 season. 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. His younger brother, Klaus, was paralyzed from the waist down due to a downhill ski accident when the boy was 16. The antagonist role was cast with Fischer Skis owner Josef Pepi Fischer, the second-generation owner of the famed Austrian ski company. Klammer, the 1976 Olympic downhill gold medalist, said he had idolized Sailer, telling the Austria Press Agency, "As a small boy, I wanted to be just like him." Newsweek wrote in 1996 that. At a trade show in Berlin, he met Vienna filmmaker Jakob Pochlatko of epo-film, a third-generation family-owned production company. He was behind Russi at the first time split and still behind at the second. Many of the top guns failed to control their line in the tricky parts of the course. Klammer created The Franz Klammer Foundation which benefits seriously injured athletes in honor of his brother. The other favorites were not as gutsy or crazy. Finally!! [citation needed] He is known as "The Kaiser" and also as the "Klammer Express. Viewers will find a film filled with suspense and an endearing love story. Although he dominated the downhill event in World Cup competition, the overall title remained elusive, because the technical specialists had two events in which to earn points (slalom and giant slalom), whereas a speed specialist had only one. Each competitor who followed failed to best his time, until there was only one skier left who was capable of beating him: Franz Klammer. 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. But producers chose to recreate the historic 1976 race down Patscherkofel. A veteran journalist on the world alpine racing circuit recallsmoments of high dramaand humorfrom the Winter Games. 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. 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. At his peak (Wengen 1976 to Wengen 1977), Klammer won ten consecutive downhills, including the pressure-laden win at the 1976 Olympics. The first choice to play the role of Franz was Julian Waldner. The game was the final tuneup for Team USA before the Winter Olympics at Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, Feb. 7-19. What happened next was the creation of a legend. Schmied, now a principal in Samsara Filmproduction, had previously produced five feature films in Austria. I really was happy of course, and relieved, that I did my greatest race, or my most important run. A great career only becomes exceptional with the ultimate title an Olympic gold medal. After trailing Russi by .20 of a second at the second intermediate time he made up more than half a second on the bottom portion of the course to win in 1:45.73. And Schmied and Schmidt hit it out of the park. Franz Klammer 22Pins 32w othskiracer O Collection by Chris Miller Similar ideas popular now Alpine Skiing Vintage Ski Skiing Winter Olympics Sports DOWNHILL almanach Ski Ski Downhill Skiing Snowboarding Apres Ski Marathon Races Marathon Running Ski Sunday Vintage Ski Posters $59.95 He was adorable, said Witt of her time with La Bomba. I really admired him his style, his way of skiing, Klammer said about Miller. 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. [citation needed] He was the defending World Cup downhill champion and had won the three previous downhills in January at Wengen, Morzine and Kitzbhel, and also the previous year's race on the same Patscherkofel course. He answered that although his gold medal at the Olympic Games in Innsbruck was generally regarded as his greatest career achievement, winning at Kitzbhel in 1984 meant something very special to him, considering he hadn't won there in seven years. Franz Klammer (born 3 December 1953) is a former champion alpine ski racer from Austria. Three years ago, Kresse tried one more time. Patrick Lang, the son of World Cup founder Serge Lang, has covered 11 Winter Olympics since 1972 and has written about ski racing for dozens of media outlets. One of the most exciting sports events I have ever witnessed was Franz Klammer's 1976 Winter Olympic run for the gold in the downhill. So I really wanted to give the audience a real feel for the people in the story.. 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. 1. Apparently they also threw quite a party at Arnies suite at the Hyatt Hotel to celebrate the wins. A fan of the Klagenfurt ice hockey team KAC, Klammer liked the film. Two-time world champion and former alpine ski racer who dominated the four consecutive seasons of the World Cup in the downhill event, Standing aloof as the extraordinary defining rider in an alpine ski Franz Klammer protrudes among those alpine ski heroes. Franz Klammer - 1976 Olympic Gold Medal Run franzweberinc 113 subscribers 509K views 13 years ago The greatest downhill of ALL time! 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. Klammer's 1:45.73 was more than thirty-two seconds faster. 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. Whether I win it or crash, there was nothing in between. But Kresse, a notable figure in marketing, found it hard to bring his dream to closure. His final World Cup race was in March 1985 at Aspen, Colorado. Showings in the United States and Canada are pending. He didnt grow up in the shadow of the towering Tyrolean Alps. Some of ski racings greatest characters have attracted even more attention from the media and the crowds, thanks to nicknames invented by fans, friends or reporters. He was able to hold his line on a difficult course, while established speed specialists struggled. 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. Your email address will not be published. But they were not attractive. Klammer dominated the downhill event for four consecutive World Cup seasons (197578). Several times he sailed through the air with arms flailing and skis askew, but he always. There is Schladming in Austria, where crowds of 30,000 or more stand along its wild drop-off schuss to the finish. I said to myself, Franz, now you have to do something because youre going to lose, he said. Yes. For others, like Franz Klammer, its about climbing mountains for fun and sliding back down. For days everyone talked about that thrilling ski run. Newspaper. The 1976 Olympic downhill was arguably the most anticipated Winter Olympic event in history a matchup with the veteran, defending gold medalist Bernhard Russi of Switzerland, and the upstart young Austrian farm boy Franz Klammer. Safety had increased. This time, Alberto could not attend her performance, but Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf was sitting next to me. Their finish line embrace at Patscherkofel in 1976 was heartfelt and forged a bond between the two rivals each Olympic downhill champions. Franz Klammer (born 3 December 1953) is a former champion alpine ski racer from Austria. The other challenge faced by Rahlves was the need to intentionally ski out of control. After his skiing career, he became a racing driver and raced touring cars until the 1990s. It cuts to the heart of what motivates skiers to slide down mountains and to experience the peace and tranquility of the outdoors. Born: Dec. 3, 1958 (Mooswald, Carinthia, Austria) Russi had won the 1972 Olympic Gold Medal in Sapporo, Japan. 5 February 1976, Innsbruck - Franz Klammer writes the greatest page of his story He remains the king of the downhill, the most successful skier of anyone in his discipline in the World Cup. Austrian skier Franz Klammer won gold on home soil in the downhill at the 1976 Games, by a slim margin of 0.33 seconds. His five World Cup downhill titles (1975 1978, 1983) are still more than any other skier in history (no one else even has four). It was a huge achievement, as there was so much pressure on him prior to that Olympic race. During the 1970s and early 1980s, Austrian downhill-skiing star Franz Klammer won 25 races on the World Cup circuit. Klammer won every downhill in the 1975 season, except Megve, where one of his skis came off. Photo caption:Hermann Maiers nickname, the Herminator, was inspired at the 1998 Games by themovie character played by Arnold Schwarzenegger. I went all the way up to the top. And still, he does everything right! Without this incident, he would have won the overall World Cup title in March 1975, due to a good slalom result two days before at Chamonix, which would have granted him at least a third place (15 points) for the AK-combined of slalom Chamonix / downhill Megve. The Klammer story was, well, pretty perfect. Austrian great Franz Klammer says the winner of the men's downhill in . And then I completely changed the line. I think he is skiing right now at Sun Valley and I know his ski instructor. Im extremely happy. 1 mo. At the last Olympics in Nagano, after a five-day delay, Trinkl was the only Austrian to win a medal in the downhill. Fischer, who passed in 2020 at the age of 90, had been known as a hard-driving, innovative ski industry leader. 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. In the end Klammer decided to use his old skis. 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. The mind of a downhill skier - Franz Klammer Innsbruck 1976 | Olympic Winter games. Thats what I liked.. [] 3. If there . He won 8 of 9 during the 1975 season and also won 19 of 23, 20 of 26 and 21 of 29 downhills. His career total is 26 downhill wins: 25 World Cup and 1 Olympic. Most recently this includes the downhill course at Jeongseon for the PyeongChang 2018 Games. There was plenty of passion and experience with Salmina, whose Mount St. Elias and Streif were captivating works. Curling. Austria in February 2013. Tomba and Witt competed again at Lillehammer. He is out, he cant make it shouted triple Olympic champion Toni Sailer, alpine director of the Austrian team, after seeing Franz fly high into the air off the Ochsenschlag jump in the upper part of the run. I couldnt stop thinking about it. 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. 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. So heres the real deal! As the lowest seed in 15th position, his task of bringing home . At the finish line, Franz Klammer started by looking at the huge crowd. I think that gave him the extra kick, there was something in the air, he could not lose that race, no way. Franz KLAMMER Team Austria Alpine Skiing Olympic Medals 1 G Games Participations 2 First Olympic Games Innsbruck 1976 Year of Birth 1953 Olympic Results Biography The most sincere congratulations of all When the Olympic Games came to Innsbruck the following year, there was great pressure on Klammer as an Austrian favourite competing in Austria. A huge crowd had amassed along the edge of the piste and at the finish line for the star event at the Innsbruck Games. Klammer overwhelmingly dominated the downhill event for four consecutive World Cup seasons (1975-78). 01:59. 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. Ever since I can remember, I have been on skis. Olymipc downhill champion 1976 (Innsbruck). Most of this was not known in 1976, when Franz Klammer had the weight of a nation on his shoulder as he embarked on his unforgettable journey down the slopes of Patscherkofel. His career total is 26 downhill wins: 25 World Cup and 1 Olympic. 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. He was two-tenths of a second behind Russi. 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. Ive never seen so much pressure put on one man my entire life, opined ABCs Bob Beattie. But repeated attempts have failed. Rahlves got his own revenge, of sorts, just two months later when he opened the World Championships in St. Anton with a super-G victory ahead of Austrias Stephan Eberharter and Maier a day that stopped the world in the hearts of Austrian ski racing fans. Here it is !! Klammer dominated the downhill event for four consecutive World Cup seasons (1975-78). 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? 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. Mittermaier is married to fellow pro skier Christian Neureuther, and their son, Felix Neureuther, is also a pro skier. L E's Stories - The Lovesick Blues Boy Was Really The Hillbilly Shakespeare - Tribute To The Life and Talents of Hank Williams; L E's Stories . Salmina was at Kitzbhel in 2003 the day Rahlves won. I thought, thats a fun thing just to make a film with one week from my life, he said. I worked as a ski instructor when I was a student. Theres a lot of character to it where it meanders down the mountain into turns and and really cool knolls and bumps to catch some air.. Was inspired at the Hyatt Hotel to celebrate the wins, 1976, 1977, 1978, he met filmmaker. Had to ski out of the Klagenfurt ice hockey team KAC, Klammer said about Miller the piste at... Picket fence, but Gen. 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The second-generation owner of the outdoors sport command attention today like Franz says... Klammer, its about climbing mountains for fun and sliding back down downhill. It hard to bring his dream to closure, traditionally dominated by the states of Tyrol Salzburg! A prolonged slump until the 1990s this includes the downhill skiing discipline about... Liam Neeson lines age of 90, had previously produced five feature films in Austria where...

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