My mother put me on skis when I was two years old, reminisced Klammer. So I really wanted to give the audience a real feel for the people in the story.. 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? Eight years after Sapporo, La Proell had enjoyed a superb revenge. Klammer came into the 1976 Olympics with three straight World Cup downhill wins and back-to-back Hahnenkamm titles. ago I remember being a kid seeing this live and thinking how close to death he pushed himself. But she still appeared confident heading into the Games. I've won so many things, without the Olympic title it would have been a good career, but not a great career. The Olympic Games plus the FIS World Championships, Franz Klammer was also crowned World Champion on that day. But they were not attractive. More Memorable Moments. The nickname became particularly apt after he survived his spectacular flight, several meters above the slope, and the post-landing cartwheels in soft snow. As the lowest seed in 15th position, his task of bringing home . I cant believe it, he has been amazing! Stewart said. I knew that Franz Klammer his victory and his legend basically would be enough to sell the movie on his name and this emotional story. 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. At the end of the 1975 season, despite having won 8 of 9 downhills, he finished third for the overall World Cup title. The screams of thousands of spectators must have been heard for miles. A key to any film is casting. Franz Klammer won the Downhill skiing event in 4 consecutive World Cup seasons from 1975 to 1978. To learn more, please visit www.franzweber.com Show. Sign up for your one-time free trial issue of, when Klammer pushed out of the starting hut in the, downhill. But Pepi Fischer wanted more. 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. Game 6 of the 1975 World Series Reds v. Red Sox 4. A dozen years later, Fischer had a strong racing product. [4], Immediately after his retirement from alpine competition, Klammer took up motor racing, and was soon involved in touring car racing, driving Mercedes-Benz saloons all over Europe and racing professionally as far away as Australia. Klammer had seen many film proposals over the years, but they all hit hurdles. A fan of the Klagenfurt ice hockey team KAC, Klammer liked the film. Even his coaches were tense. Enter 22-year old Franz Klammer. Two years later, they moved to Brightwood, Oregon, near Mount Hood, and Johnson later attended Sandy Union High School in Sandy. When Klammers time at the starting gate came he knew exactly what needed to be done. placing third in a race won by another experienced competitor, Jean-Luc Cretier . After beating Collombin and Russi at Schladming in December 1973 under terrible conditions, Collombin bested him at Garmisch, Avoriaz and Wengen. 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. Add to that his status as the greatest downhill skier in history, and the annual ski day he hosts in . Franz Klammer, sterreichischer Skirennlufer und Olympiasieger. You grow up with it., The most important week in my life! Become a member and join a community of people who care about skiing! Witt was exhausted but happy about her exclusive ski lesson. He would retire in 1984 as Austrias Greatest Athlete. He did all the action shots, said Schmied. His five World Cup downhill titles (1975 1978, 1983) are still more than any other skier in history (no one else even has four). 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.. When casting ski racing doubles for Klammer, Salmina turned to his longtime friend Rahlves. They also required more feeling from the racers, who needed to steer them continuously from the entrance to the exit of each turn. The final event was a parallel slalom and Klammer lost in the first round. Here the Austrians and Swiss pit their best. At the World Championships from 1954 through 1980, the combined was a "paper race" using the results of the three events (DH, GS, SL). At his peak (Wengen 1976 to Wengen 1977), Klammer won ten consecutive downhills, including the pressure-laden win at the 1976 Olympics. He was on the edge the entire trip down the hill, several times he looked like he was out of control and going to wreck. Hermann Maier. Ill call him.. Fischer built new downhill skis, shortening them a bit and adding sidecut. Klammer finished fourth overall in 1976, third in 1977, and fifth in 1978.[3]. His home village did not have any ski lifts, so as a child he climbed up the pasture behind his house to ski downhill. That December, he kicked off the 1973-74 World Championship year with the first of his 25 World Cup downhill wins claiming a victory in Schladming. Four years later, they met for dinner and a private ski lesson. He just did it!. The Klammer story was, well, pretty perfect. In 1975 and 1976 he was the best downhill skier in the world. Fischer, who passed in 2020 at the age of 90, had been known as a hard-driving, innovative ski industry leader. He took over after the sudden death of his father in 1959. This was the man standing between Klammer had his Gold Medal. Franz Klammer's downhill exploits from Insbruck 1976 Restless Volleyball men's Final Yugoslavia vs Russia at Sydney 2000 Should aliens compete at the Olympic Games Our kids casters pick their preferred team to participate at Olympic Games Kids Call Franz Klammer's downhill exploits from Insbruck 1976 Seen here at Inghams 'Discovery Day' celebrating their 75th Anniversary at the Heritage Motor Centre, Gaydon. A Silver was not an option to the Austrians, especially to lose on their home field against their most important rival. February 18 The Austrian set an impressive record of 62 victories and 115 podium finishes on the World Cup tour in only 175 competitions. In bib no. This one was different. Interestingly, none of the well-known technicians on the tour, like multiple overall World Cup champion Marc Girardelli or local favorite Franck Piccard, the 1988 Super G Olympic champion, clocked the fastest downhill time on race day. The Swiss favorite came in third this time, behind Moser-Proell and silver medalist Hanni Wenzel, who took gold in slalom and GS. A season earlier in 1974-75, he won an unprecedented eight World Cup downhills. And then I knew immediately that ski racing would be my life.. We became close friends and it was fun, said Klammer. Franz Klammer (born 3 December 1953) is a former champion alpine ski racer from Austria. At the intermediate time, he was behind Russi. At 1.35 is when he takes a line that no other skier dared to on the day and that is to cut harder left, slingshotting him forward faster. The third racer on the course, he finished 0.33 seconds behind Franz Klammer of Austria, who started fifteenth, the last of He won 8 of 9 during the 1975 season and also won 19 of 23, 20 of 26 and 21 of 29 downhills. To fully understand Annemaries crowning achievement, its important to look back at the 1972 Olympics at Sapporo, Japan. At the end of the race he was going so fast that you could see a difference from the previous skiers. In fact, the course contributed to new technology in ski construction, ultimately leading to the parabolic shaped skis now used by most recreational skiers. 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. At the finish line, Franz Klammer started by looking at the huge crowd. There was a sense of calm an indicator of confidence as the 22-year-old athlete put his poles over the starting wand. Note: I don't have a model release for this subject The FULL unedited original legendary run of. It was a huge achievement, as there was so much pressure on him prior to that Olympic race. Franz is a testimonial for skiing, said Kresse. 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 bad ones are almost like little Franz gets his keys and then hes a teenager. Four Hahnenkamm downhill titles (only Didier Cuche has more, with five). Franz everyone knows him!, In his heart, Kresse believed in the story. Sport Skiing Country Austria Born December 03, 1953 Joined academy 2000 He won for the nation, for every Austrian skier. [1] The following season he finished second in the downhill standings behind Roland Collombin of Switzerland. Just past halfway he nearly went off the course, but he kept picking up speed, reaching near 80 miles per hour at the bottom of the course. Apparently they also threw quite a party at Arnies suite at the Hyatt Hotel to celebrate the wins. The 51 minute-documentary Klammer gegen Russi - Das Rennen ihres Lebens from film director Michael Bhler will be available on Play Suisse from 4 February and broadcasted tonight on SRF 1 at 20:05. Franz legendary race was one month before I was born, he said. 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. Franz Klammer was Sportsman of the Year in Austria three times: 1975, 1976 and 1983.. Here is a Pro-Quality transfer from my fathers original master tape and it turned out brilliant and clear. Tim also talked directly to Arnie, who asked him for Maiers phone number. School playgrounds were quiet and the capital of Vienna was empty. Across all of Austria, there was nary a single person on a village street. Suddenly there were 60,000 people in the stadium and the whole mountain began to shake. Klammer did not have classic ski technique, he came out of the gate fearlessly, right on the edge. A great career only becomes exceptional with the ultimate title an Olympic gold medal. And then I came down. A dozen years earlier on the same course in 1964, Egon Zimmermann posted a 2:18.16 to win the gold medal. And the Olympics were returning to the Alps after a sojourn to Sapporo in 1972. The film portrays little glory for Franz in the hours and day after the race. In the 1976 Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria, the stakes rose. And his new girlfriend, Eva, was back home at college in Vienna. He is a member of the Skiing History magazine editorial board. Since the previous season the charismatic newcomer has won virtually every race.The pressure from the media and the public and the hopes of an entire nation are off the scales. He won a fourth in 1984, at the age of 30. In the 1975 season he won 8 of 9 World Cup downhill races, including his first of three consecutive victories (197577) on the prestigious Streif on the Hahnenkamm at Kitzbhel. The young Austrian Franz Klammer is considered undoubtedly the favourite for the 1976 Olympic downhill race in Innsbruck. I remember watching it live on TV as a kid and it was an electrifying performance. Options: Reply Quote Re: Where to find Franz Klammer 1976 Innsbruck downhill video? The risk was too great and the snow was wrong. Klammer said. The media were omnipresent. While Klammers Olympic spot was fixed, his teammates were battling for start rights in training. If there . At Lake Placid she managed to stay quiet, resolute and ready for the last assault. The project really came to us with a big burden, said Schmied, echoing Pochlatkos concerns. They were excited and I knew I won it. He won 8 of 9 during the 1975 season and also won 19 of 23, 20 of 26 and 21 of 29 downhills. Franz Klammer is a former champion alpine ski racer from Austria..who overwhelmingly dominated the downhill event for four consecutive World Cup sea. After his victories, Alberto told me hed be pleased to watch East Germanys attractive superstar Katarina Witt competing at the ice arena in Calgary. Franz KLAMMER. Klammer won the World Cup downhill title five times: 1975, 1976, 1977, 1978 and 1983 twice more than the next best downhiller. She never came to the races. Literally, the entire mountain was shaking, said Russi. And she is still playing one of the most important roles in my life. 1. The face the public has seen of Franz Klammer for 50 years has been one of a daring downhill ski racer. The Austrian had become a hero in his country after having won a dozen downhill races in previous seasons. Two or three times we tried to bring a good story. Whether I win it or crash, there was nothing in between. 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. 3, he performed pretty well and crossed the finish line with a time of 1:46.06, giving him the lead. Bib number 15 moved into the starting gate atop Patscherkofel, high above the Tyrolean village of Innsbruck. Im extremely happy. Pochlatko tracked down the director to talk about his engagement in telling Franz story. Ill never forget how we all erupted when he crossed the finish line. 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. Alpine Skiing Legend Franz Klammer Relives His 1976 Olympic Run | ISOS006 In Search of Speed 8.67K subscribers Subscribe 822 Share 182K views 8 years ago For your throwback Thursday enjoyment. Franz Klammer. 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. He suffered disappointment at the Sarajevo Games in 1984 with 10th place, and competed for the last time in March 1985 at Aspen with a World Cup record of 26 wins, 45 podiums and 87 top 10 places. His formidable appearance, his determination on the slopes, and his numerous victories in the weeks prior to his trip to Japan had led reporters to use rougher nicknames, like The Beast, which Maier didnt like at all. Today, more than 45 years later, its legend still lives on, an enduring story of what many consider to be the greatest ski race of all time. 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. 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. All Rights Reserved. Kids watch Olympic curling for the first time Kids Call. Born: Dec. 3, 1958 (Mooswald, Carinthia, Austria) Kids call the Jamaican . So I decided to take even more risks.. He also called other sports. They met later that year in Italy during an exhibitionand then again four years later at Les Menuires, the site of the slalom race for the 1992 Albertville Games. Photo caption:Ortlieb takes flight over the mens downhill course on his way to winning gold at Albertville. Salmina was at Kitzbhel in 2003 the day Rahlves won. For Kaiser Franz, this moment of triumph happened on the 3,020m of the Patscherkofel in Innsbruck on Thursday 5 February 1976. Klammer Express, his other nickname, continued to dominate his sport until 1978, then he suffered a loss of momentum which led notably to him not being selected for the very strong Austrian downhill team for the Lake Placid Games in 1980. Austria in February 2013. The two nations ski teams are two of the fiercest rivals in the sporting world. 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. A veteran journalist on the world alpine racing circuit recallsmoments of high dramaand humorfrom the Winter Games. Their finish line embrace at Patscherkofel in 1976 was heartfelt and forged a bond between the two rivals each Olympic downhill champions. He was the gold medalist at the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, winning the downhill at Patscherkofel by a margin of 0.33 seconds with a time of 1:45.73. Enjoy!! He had won the pre-Olympic downhill on Patscherkofel over Russi in 1975. And Schmied and Schmidt hit it out of the park. We met in Tunisia, in Africa, on the beach, recalled Klammer. One of them had also briefly mentioned The Herminator, a combination of his first name and the invincible Terminator movie character, played by another Austrian legend, Arnold Schwarzenegger. Where to find Franz Klammer 1976 Innsbruck downhill video? Franz Klammer has a height of 6'0" (1.83 m). From 1948 through 1980, the Winter Olympics were also the World Championships for alpine skiing. Franz Klammer won only one Olympic medal, but that was the one that mattered - at Innsbruck in 1976. During the 1970s and early 1980s, Austrian downhill-skiing star Franz Klammer won 25 races on the World Cup circuit. 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