Its very special that Franz grew up in Carinthia, just 10 minutes from my house., Every year, Mayer joins legions of followers to the local Tour de Franz cycling event. Behind that, though, is a true love story that contributed to his athletic success. Sep 26, 2013 - This is nearly the entire Franz Klammer Gold Medal Run from the Innsbruck Winter Olympics of 1976. Two days after that frightening accident, he was facing the press to confirm his intention to race the following day in Super G. It was quite a flightfor sure not as comfortable as our journey over here with Lufthansa, he said with a grin. There were some hot meetings within the Austrian squad, but the other racers didnt want to miss their chance for an Olympic medal just a few hours before the start of the show. I was kicking in her belly because my mother was so excited the whole time.. Didier Cuche won his fifth Hahnenkamm last January. And suddenly, there were 60,000 people in the stadium and the whole mountain started to shake, Bernhard Russi explains. To shoot the film, producers literally took over Patscherkofel, taking the revered race course back in time. I couldnt stop thinking about it. Andreas and Elisabeth Schied found both. We all just knew he was going to crash. Even his coaches were tense. For days everyone talked about that thrilling ski run. He may have been affected by his brother's spinal cord injury in a downhill race, as well as a change of ski supplier (from Fischer to Kneissl). 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. Three years ago, Kresse tried one more time. Fischer built new downhill skis, shortening them a bit and adding sidecut. Klammer created The Franz Klammer Foundation which benefits seriously injured athletes in honor of his brother. Every set of Austrian eyes were tuned in to ORF across the far corners of the land. Nearly two hours later, they came back smiling. I gave him the local phone number of Austrias media coordinator, who did receive a call from Idaho after Hermanns amazing comeback in Super G. Schwarzenegger was so impressed by Hermanns triumph and his funny nickname that he wanted to speak to him. I made a huge jump and thought I would crash, yet I managed to survive and land on my skis. Franz Klammer gets police protection from an enthusiastic crowd after his victory. He also holds the record for the most victories (four) on the full course at Kitzbhel. So that was the important thing., They were married in 1979. Moser-Proell had won three events, including a downhill, yet she had not been charging as hard as usual. No lift, no nothing. He was able to hold his line on a difficult course, while established speed specialists struggled. He was adorable, said Witt of her time with La Bomba. Racing skis had changed appreciably. We were hardly breathing. After his fourth consecutive season title in downhill in 1978, he began a prolonged slump until the end of the 1981 season. Klammers only hope was to chase a line that no one felt could be skied. You grow up with it., The most important week in my life! And that was the main obstacle to tackle before developing a script.. Olympic triumph. He would win 31 downhills in World Cup competition. His technique over an icy slope, his jumping skills and his ability to find incredible race lines remain absolutely unique. What happened next was the creation of a legend. Frank Gifford called this event and he nailed it. 3, he performed pretty well and crossed the finish line with a time of 1:46.06, giving him the lead. The screams of thousands of spectators must have been heard for miles. He won the gold medal in the downhill event at the 1976 Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria. Background Born into a farming family in Mooswald, community Fresach, Carinthia, in 1953. Become a member and join a community of people who care about skiing! Babe Ruth Hits Home Run #500- This Day In 1929, THE TV DRAFT ROUND 2 PICK 6 THE HINOEUMA SELECTS FIREFLY 2002-2003, THE TV DRAFT ROUND 2 PICK 5 THE NOSTALGIC ITALIAN SELECTS MISSION IMPOSSIBLE, THE TV DRAFT ROUND 2 PICK 4 QUINN MADDUX SELECTS THE ROCKFORD FILES, THE TV DRAFT ROUND 2 PICK 3 MAX SELECTS FAWLTY TOWERS, THE TV DRAFT ROUND 2 PICK 2 JOHN SELECTS CARTOON TOWN. 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. Options: Reply Quote Re: Where to find Franz Klammer 1976 Innsbruck downhill video? But young Franz loved the snow, skiing to school in the winter and climbing up hills on his own to come racing back down. I was fourteen and was at a friends house. 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. In 1974, he took home World Championship gold in combined at St. Moritz, silver in downhill. Rather than retire, he worked long and hard at a comeback. He was the overwhelming favorite for Gold with the home crowd there to watch. He could really win in this kind of Klammer style. This is not a good story for a film because you need the emotional roller coaster. I hope it lasts forever., Storyline in hand, casting the right actors became the next challenge. He won a total of 25 World Cup downhills a record Lindsey Vonn broke last year. 1- 1980 USA vs USSR Olympic Hockey Game. Ill call him.. (Due to the high cost of postage, this offer is limited to North American residents only.). 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. Nobody went there to see if it was possible or not. Franz Klammer is a former champion alpine ski racer from Austria..who overwhelmingly dominated the downhill event for four consecutive World Cup sea. He had super experience in filmmaking. A fan of the Klagenfurt ice hockey team KAC, Klammer liked the film. And the Olympics were returning to the Alps after a sojourn to Sapporo in 1972. Hermann Maiers nickname, the Herminator, was inspired at the 1998 Games by the. He would finish as the top downhill skier a record five times (1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1983). The FULL unedited original legendary run of Franz Klammer at the 1976 Innsbruck Olymps! Franzs wife said, no, sorry, that is not a story.. 1999 - 2019 Skiing History. I thought, thats a fun thing just to make a film with one week from my life, he said. A veteran journalist on the world alpine racing circuit recallsmoments of high dramaand humorfrom the Winter Games. And there was only one leftit was Franz Klammer. Russi continued; Franz Klammer was in the starting gate. Many of the top guns failed to control their line in the tricky parts of the course. Ever since I can remember, I have been on skis. 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 a troubled youth who began competitive skiing on nearby Mount . Somehow he survived, etching his name into history with a .33-second margin over Russi. Klammer and Strobl became lifelong friends, sharing a hunting lodge in late September before the films debut in Zurich. Bernhard and I, we are really close friends and appreciate each others company. Its in the hearts and minds of Austrians its still there. One of his strongest opponents was the very determined Annemarie Proell. It was a really fun course with all the elements of a good downhill, said Rahlves. Franz Klammer has a height of 6'0" (1.83 m). Klammer overwhelmingly dominated the downhill event for four consecutive World Cup seasons (1975-78). At the end of the 1975 season, despite having won 8 of 9 downhills, he finished third for the overall World Cup title. While much can be said about fame, few superstar ski racers started their careers just to seek glory. I also told Ryan about that funny nickname and Maiers comment. 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. Originals 01:56. [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. 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. While Klammer had been consistent in his success on the skis, Fischer and his team had innovated a new product. 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. His five World Cup downhill titles (1975 1978, 1983) are still more than any other skier in history (no one else even has four). And what are you doing? Im studying medicine. And that was all we talked about. 1,154,848 views Dec 13, 2018 Finally!! Photo caption:Ortlieb takes flight over the mens downhill course on his way to winning gold at Albertville. Franz Klammer - 1976 Olympic Gold Medal Run franzweberinc 113 subscribers 509K views 13 years ago The greatest downhill of ALL time! He was always going for the victory. [1] The following season he finished second in the downhill standings behind Roland Collombin of Switzerland. 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. He won 4 more times in 1976 leading up to the Olympics. When Klammers time at the starting gate came he knew exactly what needed to be done. The nickname became particularly apt after he survived his spectacular flight, several meters above the slope, and the post-landing cartwheels in soft snow. In the 1976 Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria, the stakes rose. Pochlatko tracked down the director to talk about his engagement in telling Franz story. Franz Klammer won the Downhill skiing event in 4 consecutive World Cup seasons from 1975 to 1978. Posted by: DeusxMac Date: July 21, 2021 08:38PM When I told my mother that Im doing this film, she said all these memories came up. He won 8 of 9 during the 1975 season and also won 19 of 23, 20 of 26 and 21 of 29 downhills. One of the most exciting sports events I have ever witnessed was Franz Klammers 1976 Winter Olympic run for the gold in the downhill. So she really had no clue who I was.. Klammer's 1:45.73 was more than thirty-two seconds faster. He didnt grow up in the shadow of the towering Tyrolean Alps. Chasing the Line is a film about Klammer, it is also a portrayal of skiing, as a sport. Hes quick to talk about stars of the sport like Alberto Tomba, Hermann Maier and Bode Miller. Im extremely happy. Innsbruck 1976 | Olympic Winter games. Even today, he is emotional in telling it. I knew I only had a small chance to win, he, told the author. Required fields are marked *. And Klammer was winning big on its C4 skis. [5], Klammer was a hero to Austrian ski racing fans and also to fans the world over for doing a great deal to promote the popularity of alpine ski racing. So I won it.. So he reached out to fellow Austrian filmmaker Gerald Salmina, producer of the 2014 film Streif: One Hell of a Ride, to manage second unit shooting at Patscherkofel last February. Franz Klammer (born 3 December 1953) is a former champion alpine ski racer from Austria. More Memorable Moments. Franz Klammer (right) with Bernhard Russi after the men's downhill in 1976. 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. Thanks to special accreditations, we were standing right at the rink when Witt started to perform. Four years later, she missed the 1976 Games at Innsbruck; she had retired from racing the previous year to get married and take care of her dad, who was seriously ill. After his death, she staged a successful comeback. 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. They recreated the old start house, put up old course fencing and built a finish area complete with banners and fans in period clothing. For Eva, they went with a young actress from Vienna, Valerie Huber. 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. Franz Klammer In 1976, How the legendary Austrian skier won one of the most exciting Olympic downhill races of all time. Berlin-based Picturetree International is managing global distribution. Klammer dominated the downhill event for four consecutive World Cup seasons (197578). The two became friends. They were at my grandparents (house) and they watched the race with the neighbors. All I could find on Youtube was dodgy edited versions showing only half of the run, parts in slow motion or snippets that just frustrate the hell out of you. Note: I don't have a model release for this subject Yes. Wearing bib 1 and with nothing to lose, as he didnt belong to the circle of favorites, he achieved an aggressive yet controlled run and set a time that nobody could beat. The game was the final tuneup for Team USA before the Winter Olympics at Sarajevo, Yugoslavia, Feb. 7-19. They also needed to take what is now an intermediate recreational ski run and transform in into the rough and tumble 1976 downhill. Klammer, a simple young man, was more comfortable with the C4s. And then I came down. The Swiss rival, Phillippe Roux stood third at 1:46:69, Italys Herbert Plank second at 1:46:59, and the magnificent Swiss, Bernhard Russi first at 1:46:06. This time, Alberto could not attend her performance, but Gen. Norman Schwarzkopf was sitting next to me. 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. Chasing the Line is palpable. Media coverage was moving into a golden era, with more live television and a bigger platform for burgeoning sport stars. Apparently they also threw quite a party at Arnies suite at the Hyatt Hotel to celebrate the wins. Maybe nobody knows them, but I think everybody will know them after the movie is out because theyre so good., Klammer and Eva spent significant time with the screenwriters and the actors, especially Waldner. Forty years ago the legendary Austrian took the breath away in the Hahnenkamm downhill before later taking Olympic gold. Is she also French? I asked him at the 2013 World Cup season start at Soelden. I was amused later to discover that I was the only skier who dared to take that line. Instead, he was born in the southernmost Austrian state of Carinthia, a region with lesser-known mountains and a bit outside the ski racing spotlight. Klammer, age 19, followed this up with a third at St. Moritz and a third in the giant slalom at Mont Sainte-Anne (the only time he finished on the podium in a World Cup Giant Slalom in his career). Bill Johnson was born in Los Angeles, California, on March 30, 1960, and moved with his family to Boise, Idaho, when he was seven.He learned to ski at Bogus Basin in the late 1960s. [] 3. He is considered the best-ever Downhill skier who dominated the competitions in the seventies and the eighties. What the hell. Patrick Ortliebs win was the first surprise of the mens Olympics events at Val dIsre, yet he confirmed his success in the following seasons with significant triumphs on the World Cup tour, including winning the legendary Hahnenkamm race at Kitzbhel. Franz Klammer 1976 Innsbruck - The Greatest Downhill Run of All Time - FULL UNEDITED!! Everyone got nervous after defending Olympic champion Bernhard Russi from Switzerland set the best time after a nearly flawless run. Franz Klammer (born 3 December 1953) is a former champion alpine ski racer from Austria. 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. They also had a great time in California, so it was no surprise when Arnold came the following year to Beaver Creek to encourage his friend, who clinched two more gold medals at the 1999 Ski World Championships. Newspaper. Two years later, bothTomba and Witt competed again at Lillehammer. Twice he took the concept to filmmakers and twice it went nowhere. 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