World Cup fever

Semmering is well prepared for the spectacle

Mayor Hermann Doppelreiter is already in World Cup fever himself and is looking forward to thousands of visitors.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Seebacher Doris Sepp Pail)

The giant slalom will take place on December 28 and the slalom on December 29 on the slopes of the Hirschenkogel. The small town of Semmering with its 600 inhabitants is well prepared for the onslaught of up to 20,000 fans. However, due to television broadcasting rights, there will be no night race this time. 

Whether there will be more or fewer spectators this year is not yet clear. "The races are on one weekend this time," says Mayor Hermann Doppelreiter. That could mean that more people will come. "But it also depends on the weather and how the runners perform." The mayor knows, for example, that the Slovakian fans are very loyal and will flock to Semmering in large numbers if their runner Petra Vlhovà does well.

What is new this year is that there will be no night race. "This has to do with the TV broadcasting rights," explains Doppelreiter. He does not fear a drop in overnight stays as a result. "The Semmering is very conveniently located and most visitors are day visitors anyway." Accommodation in Semmering and the entire region is already very popular. The Austrian women's ski team is staying at the Kirchenwirt in Maria Schutz.

Some improvements have been made to the start and finish area and the course in recent weeks. For example, the course was widened by 17 meters at a narrow section. "The equipment is getting better and better, the runners are going faster and faster," WSV President Karl Steiner explains the measure. Cost: 240,000 euros.

But non-ski fans also get their money's worth on the World Cup days. Music stars such as Marc Pircher, the Junge Zillertaler or Wiener Wahnsinn will heat up the audience after the races. And in two years' time, there will also be a night race.

https://www.wsv-semmering.at/