The Nostalgia Ski World Championships took place for the ninth time and allowed retro fans from all over the world to indulge in skiing like in the days of the emperor.
Faster, more precise, more modern - what will be the order of the day on the slopes of the local ski resorts in 2020 was sought in vain on 25 and 26 January in Saalfelden Leogang. At the 9th Nostalgia Ski World Championships, wooden skis, leather lace-up boots without support function and knee breeches were in the spotlight - the older, the more remarkable.
Over 200 participants from Austria, Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Slovenia and the Czech Republic took up this retro skiing challenge and competed for the titles in Leogang in the long-distance run, gate run and overall standings. In twelve different categories, some raced through the gates on skis from the interwar period without steel edges using single-pole technology, while others bumped down into the valley in modern vintage equipment on various ski models dating back to 1970. It was no surprise that a ride on equipment from our forefathers' time does not always lead to the finish without a fall. So in the end it was (almost) a minor matter who took home the world championship title - true to the motto: the main thing is to indulge in skiing in fine style in the old days.
Marco Pointner, Managing Director of Saalfelden Leogang Touristik, agrees: ‘This year's Nostalgia Ski World Championships has once again managed to bring together retro sports fans from six nations for a fair competition in Saalfelden Leogang. In addition to the sporting aspect, it is above all the tradition, sociability and camaraderie that make the event so special. A multifaceted competition that fits perfectly into our region.’
