Olympic champions and co.

A terribly nice family of athletes

A "family reunion" against a dream backdrop - the Montafon athletes around Olympic champion Alessandro Hämmerle (3rd from right) on Bartholomäberg with Harald Bitschnau's stone sheep.(Bild: Peter Weihs/Kronenzeitung)

"Home you are great daughters, sons"! A controversial line from the Austrian national anthem, but one that applies perfectly to the athletes from the Vorarlberg Montafon. The tourism region is aware of the charisma of its sporting heroes and therefore supports them as well as the next generation. A local insight.

"It's definitely something very special for me to be part of the Montafon sports family," admits Olympic snowboard cross champion Alessandro "Izzi" Hämmerle over breakfast together at "Verner's 2020", lovingly run by Harald and Doris Bitschnau in an idyllic location on the Bartholomäberg. However, as with any large family - there are 20 members in total - it is also difficult for the Montafoners to get everyone together in one place. "Unfortunately, we had a few cancellations at short notice," reveals Josef Manahl, who has been responsible for the project since 2021, which has been running since 2015.

The Montafon sports family met for breakfast together at "Verner's 2020".(Bild: Peter Weihs/Kronenzeitung)

Host Doris Bitschnau served the athletes an excellent breakfast of regional delicacies.(Bild: Peter Weihs/Kronenzeitung)

Host Harald Bitschnu showed the sports family some of his 101 Montafon Steinschafe sheep.(Bild: Peter Weihs/Kronenzeitung)

World champion and Olympic champion
Montafon Tourism spends a good 100,000 euros a year on its 20 athletes. In addition to Izzi and Luca Hämmerle, as well as David Erhart and Elias Leitner, the family also includes freeride world champion Max Hitzig, alpine climbers Emily Schöpf and Moritz Zudrell, ski mountaineers such as Daniel Ganahl and Daniel Zugg and ski crosser Simon Fleisch. "We also support the VSV junior boarders and are active in trail running and mountain biking," says Montafon Tourism Managing Director Manuel Bitschnau. "We also have excellent ice hockey players, riders and golfers - but we limit ourselves to the sports that we also stand for as a tourist region."

Olympic champion Alessandro Hämmerle is currently probably the best-known brand ambassador for the Montafon.(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Investing in talent and the future
The Montafoners are not necessarily interested in being a visible head sponsor. "Young athletes in particular need our support," explains Bitschnau. "Parents are often the only sponsors and in such cases, 500 euros is often an important contribution. And who knows, maybe there will be a talent who makes it to the top, like Izzi."

Sports scientist Marc Philippe from the Vorarlberg Olympic Center spoke on the subject of concussions.(Bild: Peter Weihs/Kronenzeitung)

More than just financial support
It is also important to the Montafoners that they offer their family added value - apart from financial support. Yesterday, Marc Philippe from the Vorarlberg Olympic Center gave a talk on the topic of concussions. "We've also had social media training courses. This was also very well received by our athletes," says Bitschnau.