Why a Streif is needed - parallels between downhill skiing and motorsport
01/31/2016
The classic ski racing event on the legendary Streif recently took place in Kitzbühel. The Streif presented itself almost as one would wish it to be. Apart from the defused mousetrap due to the lowered start, it was like a poisonous snake on the mountain. The speed was high and the bends had their pitfalls. The compression after the Hausberg threw Streitberger, Reichelt and Svindal into the safety net.
Apart from knee injuries, everything went off without a hitch, but there were still discussions about the sense and nonsense. But why is this race broadcast in 45 countries, why do all the celebrities meet in Kitzbühel and why do the Tyroleans achieve a turnover of around 40 million euros with this race weekend?
All of this is only possible thanks to the huge interest in the race. This clearly includes the thrill associated with the great risk taken by the athletes.
Any normal person gets heart palpitations just looking at the Streif, let alone having to ski down it. The ORF presenter repeatedly compared the Streif to the F1 race in Monte Carlo. The comparison is apt, because the Streif, like Monaco, does not forgive mistakes. Monaco in an F1 monoposto between planks and walls becomes a tightrope act lasting almost two hours. The Hahnenkamm can only be conquered with a great deal of courage.
It was also great to see that the ski racers are much more tolerant of each other than the car racers. The Swiss TV commentator was viciously rebuked by Marcel Hirscher when he asked him about the overall World Cup after it became clear that Aksel Lund Svindal would no longer be able to defend his World Cup lead due to his injuries. Hats off to Marcel Hirscher.
Despite everything, there is no need to discuss sense and nonsense, because at the end of the day we want to see spectacular races. Be it in motorsport or in skiing.
The more spectacular the better, you have to accept crashes and accidents. "Sure-fire" action is usually bland. Motorsport is now far too safe, so it has lost a lot of its appeal. It's all about making money without the big thrills.
The people in charge seem to believe that just one F1 car on TV keeps millions of people away from other leisure activities. Unfortunately, this is no longer the case, because a race is and remains a fight from person to person at an extremely high level. A fierce duel, or even better a multi-car battle, brings the excitement that fans want to enjoy. Even small mistakes should be punished with a broken car or the end of the race. Nobody can see the huge parking lots around the outside of the bends, which forgive every braking mistake by the highly paid drivers.
The long-serving ÖSV President is aware of how dangerous it is in Kitzbühel, but also says: "Anyone who skis down a slope like the Streif knows how high the risk is. Nevertheless, every single skier wants to do this race at all costs."
The car racer also loves the last remaining dangerous routes more than anyone else. When asked about his favorite tracks, he almost always mentions the Nordschleife, Suzuka and Spa-Francorchamps. Because that's where the wheat is separated from the chaff, just like on the Streif.
Bernhard Russi (67), Olympic downhill champion and Swiss TV pundit: "The limit was exceeded. But not by the course setter, but by the athletes themselves."
In motorsport, the search would immediately be on for solutions to defuse the course, but the Streif will remain as it is and that's a good thing. Russi puts it even more harshly in the Bild newspaper: "The people who fell have serious injuries and I'm sorry about that, but they are healthy. Other crashes have had more extreme consequences. There were fatalities, others ended up in wheelchairs or were amputated. All the skiers who fell in Kitz can start again next winter. If I wasn't misunderstood, I would have to say: Saturday was a lucky day for skiing because nothing more happened. A cruciate ligament rupture is not the end of the world."
None of the injured are criticizing the organizers in any way, they all know exactly what they are doing and are also aware of their own mistakes regarding the wrong line choice.
This was followed by a tweet from Svindal, who is sharing a room with Reichelt and Streitberger in the Innsbruck clinic: "Same compression, same injury, same room and same nurse.... We're having fun!!!"
What does Stirling Moss always say: "I deliberately chose motorsport back then because it was dangerous, because everything else is no fun."
