Frank Gifford who passed away yesterday at the age of 84 was known most as a Hall of Fame football player and the play-by-play man on Monday Night Football. Hermann Maier. That honor went to a little-known Austrian from Lech, Patrick Ortlieb, who had never won a major event. But it lacked an antagonist someone to create tension. We were hiking all day long and skiing., He rode his first chairlift at eight, and he didnt start ski racing until he was 14. Salmina brought in his friend and Hahnankemm race chief Alex Naglich to create the racing environment for the film. [] 3. And, once again, Rahlves found himself on page one of the local Tiroler Tageszeitung. Apparently they also threw quite a party at Arnies suite at the Hyatt Hotel to celebrate the wins. The older generation of established alpine speed specialists from that timeled by Swiss racers Daniel Mahrer, William Besse and 1991 downhill FIS world champion Franz Heinzerhad great difficulties in negotiating La Face with their traditional style, which was to enter the turns at full speed and throw the skis sideways to change direction. He was 21st on a day where Austria swept the first nine places behind winner Hermann Maier. And he took a three-win streak, including his second straight Hahnenkamm win, into the Olympics. Rather than retire, he worked long and hard at a comeback. 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. The next one minute, 45.73 seconds would change Franz Klammers life forever. To understand the 1976 Olympic downhill, you need to look back a few years in time. Showings in the United States and Canada are pending. Photo caption:Italian superstarAlberto 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. He just did it!. As expected, Russi put down a solid run to take the lead. Franz Klammer - 1976 Olympic Downhill Gold Medal performance Rambo Nov 4, 2009 1 2 Next Nov 4, 2009 #1 Rambo Member Joined Sep 8, 2008 Messages 890 Points 16 Location Binghamton, NY Anybody remember this? Klammer Express, his other nickname, continued to dominate his sport until 1978, then he suffered a loss of momentum which led notably to him not being selected for the very strong Austrian downhill team for the Lake Placid Games in 1980. He took over after the sudden death of his father in 1959. definitely," said the 1976 Olympic champion, whose name is still synonymous with the glamour and danger of Alpine ski . Klammer finished fourth overall in 1976, third in 1977, and fifth in 1978.[3]. The next day, Tomba finished a strong second in a slalom dominated by Norways Finn Jagge. And that was the main obstacle to tackle before developing a script.. Become a member and join a community of people who care about skiing! In skiing, its the Swiss Alps and the Austrian Alps that define the sport. An evolution from wooden skis to fiberglas and metal had swept through the sport. Hes let his skis do the talking over the years and has won a place in the hearts of Austrians well, to a degree. Their story was truly one for the big screen. This success means a lot to me after all those years, she told reporters at the post-race press conference that I was running in the modest base lodge of the resort. And the two met that night at The Londoner forging both a friendship and a partnership in telling the story of ski racing that has spanned nearly two decades. He retired from international competition at age 31.Klammer finished with 26 World Cup victories, 45 podiums and 87 top ten finishes (71 downhill, 5 combined, 11 giant slalom). They met later that year in Italy during an exhibitionand then again four years later at Les Menuires, the site of the slalom race for the 1992 Albertville Games. After his 1978 World Cup win, Klammer's performances stagnated for several years, not winning a World Cup race until 1981. I think that was one of my strengths just to improvise.. Swiss favorite Bernhard Russi, who two years earlier had won Olympic gold in Sapporo, was 13th. 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. In a statement released by NBC News on Sunday, his family said Gifford died suddenly at his Connecticut home of. The Klammer story was, well, pretty perfect. It was totally, totally quiet. After trailing Russi by .20 of a second at the second intermediate time he made up more than half a second on the bottom portion of the course to win in 1:45.73. I said to myself, Franz, now you have to do something because youre going to lose, he said. Ian Wooldridge the long-time sports writer for the London Daily Mail summed up Klammers feat best: The greatest single sporting achievement in my lifetime and no doubt beyond.. Franz Klammer - 1976 Olympic Gold Medal Run franzweberinc 113 subscribers 509K views 13 years ago The greatest downhill of ALL time! 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. Klammer came into the 1976 Olympics with three straight World Cup downhill wins and back-to-back Hahnenkamm titles. And, it needed a bit of a love story. The 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary were particularly intense, with ten alpine competitions held over two weeks. It was a brilliant lifetime story of a young boy who had stunning athletic success. And I personally think there is somewhere that power from spectators they can pull him down. Possibly yes, he answered with a grin. Austria in February 2013. The FULL unedited original legendary run of Franz Klammer at the 1976 Innsbruck Olymps! When I went out of the starting gate, I knew I was going to win that race, said Klammer. Alpine Skiing Legend Franz Klammer Relives His 1976 Olympic Run | ISOS006. Franz legendary race was one month before I was born, he said. This is all the sweeter when it is won in front of more than 60,000 focused supporters and millions of Austrians gathered in front of their TV sets across the country. One of the most exciting sports events I have ever witnessed was Franz Klammer's 1976 Winter Olympic run for the gold in the downhill. The pressure intensified again when Klammer drew the 15th spot for his Olympic run. The risk was too great and the snow was wrong. Klammer said. Tomba and Witt competed again at Lillehammer. We said that the best film, as far as our research goes, is simply behind the scenes at the Olympics.. The Austrian had become a hero in his country after having won a dozen downhill races in previous seasons. Hoping for a low start number in the draw, Klammer drew 15 last in the top seed. Thats what I liked.. In an interview before the Games, La Bomba told the press that his dad, Franco, might buy him a Ferrari if he clinched two gold medals in Canadaa mission he accomplished by winning the slalom and the GS. 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 was the 1976 Winter Olympic Games in Innsbruck - the men's downhill, the blue riband event - and the yellow flash was Franz Klammer, Austrian national hero and pre-race favourite. Chasing the Line is a film about Klammer, it is also a portrayal of skiing, as a sport. As we approached her, Mueller, who recognized Tomba and might have read about his wish to meet her protg, pushed Katarina into another room, so she wouldnt be distracted by the handsome Italian playboy. On race day, she stayed laser-focused as she made her way down the course, despite strong gusts of wind that disturbed some of her main rivals, including Nadig. This one turn, in the lower part, it changed my entire life, said Klammer. The media were omnipresent. In bib no. Klammer dominated the downhill event for four consecutive World Cup seasons (197578). Media coverage was moving into a golden era, with more live television and a bigger platform for burgeoning sport stars. So I decided to take even more risks.. 1999 - 2019 Skiing History. Since the previous season the charismatic newcomer has won virtually every race.The pressure from the media and the public and the hopes of an entire nation are off the scales. Franz Klammer (born 3 December 1953) is a former champion alpine ski racer from Austria. The Klammer story, yah, it was epic, said Schmied, a Styrian-born writer and director who, like most Austrians, was on skis before he was two. I remember the race we were in the living room watching on TV in black and white, said Salmina, who was 11 at the time. She was always supporting me. The nickname became particularly apt after he survived his spectacular flight, several meters above the slope, and the post-landing cartwheels in soft snow. But they were not attractive. When I started, the course was basically ruined and I knew I had only a small chance to win, he said. First of all, biopics fail because they are almost like passion plays. But she still appeared confident heading into the Games. 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. Enjoy!! It was a huge achievement, as there was so much pressure on him prior to that Olympic race. Now the snow has arrived to give today's heroes a chance to shine on a. He nearly went down on the first curve, but saved it on one ski. Thats a fun story. Here it is !! And it meant 100% commitment. Hes loved by everybody and he had an amazing career. Some of ski racings greatest characters have attracted even more attention from the media and the crowds, thanks to nicknames invented by fans, friends or reporters. He remains the king of the downhill, the most successful skier of anyone in his discipline in the World Cup. Klammer's gold-medal-winning downhill run at the 1976 Innsbruck Olympics was anything but dull. Background Born into a farming family in Mooswald, community Fresach, Carinthia, in 1953. He would win 31 downhills in World Cup competition. Klammer created The Franz Klammer Foundation which benefits seriously injured athletes in honor of his brother. Klammer felt he had to win the Olympic downhill for the honor of his ski-crazy country and the estimated 60,000 spectators who gathered along the race course to watch the competition. The story of the Austrian legend comes to the big screen this month with the release of. The Olympic Games were in Innsbruck, Austria and there was tremendous pressure on Klammer to win the gold medal. Franz KLAMMER. 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. Four Hahnenkamm downhill titles (only Didier Cuche has more, with five). I was kicking in her belly because my mother was so excited the whole time.. He also holds the record for the most victories (four) on the full course at Kitzbhel. Right: Schwarzenegger and Maier. The last, 11 years later in 1984, at the age of 30, is worthy of a second movie. Franz Klammer. After his skiing career, he became a racing driver and raced touring cars until the 1990s. Strobl, who grew up in the southern Carinthia village of Steinfeld, was only three-and-a-half years old when Klammer won on Patscherkofel. After his victories, Alberto told me hed be pleased to watch East Germanys attractive superstar Katarina Witt competing at the ice arena in Calgary. Klammer dominated the downhill event for four consecutive World Cup seasons (1975-78). It was a crazed run to Olympic glory, up on one ski then the other, crossing back and forth through the pine boughs, sliding perilously close to the fence. NEW YORK - Pro Football Hall of Famer Frank Gifford has died. Nobody had ever had a string of victories like that. The next day, Katarina showed up on time with her gear, which Albertos personal bodyguard carried up to the hill. He would finish as the top downhill skier a record five times (1975, 1976, 1977, 1978, 1983). Kids act as sportscasters while watching Franz Klammer's performance at the Olympic Winter Games Insbruck 1976. . I had seen in training that a few skiers, including Ken Read of Canada, had tested a straighter yet very risky line there. This is not a good story for a film because you need the emotional roller coaster. With the Super-G, as a second speed race, not existing at the time, Klammer's career was only downhill (apart from a world title in the combined event in 1974), which explains why despite his overwhelming domination, the Austrian skier, born on 3 December 1953 in Mooswald (Carinthia), was never able to compete for the large general classification globe in the World Cup in an era particularly characterised by the success of the Swede Ingemar Stenmark. I knew I only had a small chance to win, he, told the author. 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. 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. Most of this was not known in 1976, when Franz Klammer had the weight of a nation on his shoulder as he embarked on his unforgettable journey down the slopes of Patscherkofel. Sep 26, 2013 - This is nearly the entire Franz Klammer Gold Medal Run from the Innsbruck Winter Olympics of 1976. Amazingly, the victory comes eight years after his Olympic Games victory in Innsbruck. We should do a feature on it with Arnold, he said. 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. Witt was exhausted but happy about her exclusive ski lesson. When Klammers time at the starting gate came he knew exactly what needed to be done. We were lucky to get him here.. He was adorable, said Witt of her time with La Bomba. I wanted to make a film. 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. I thought, Franz is the most famous Carinthian and we should do something with him, said Kresse. I watch it every four years at the Olympics but Klammers run is on my Mount Rushmore of Most Exciting Events I have seen in nearly 50 years of watching sports. Franz Klammer records his fourth victory on the famed Hahnenkamm in Kitzbuhel, Austria. We all just knew he was going to crash. After that, he was known as The Herminator. Game 6 of the 1975 World Series Reds v. Red Sox 4. It was just the idea of making something about Franz Klammer., But Pochlatko also saw the challenge. Klammer has remained one of the sports biggest fans. After his fourth consecutive season title in downhill in 1978, he began a prolonged slump until the end of the 1981 season. After clinching her sixth crystal globe for the overall World Cup title in 1979, Annemarie was aiming for the elusive Olympic gold medal in 1980 that she had missed eight years before. The whole family was sitting in front of the TV. Downhill courses are the monsters of alpine skiing: 9,000-foot-long beasts with steep pitches that combine to build tremendous speed. Born: Dec. 3, 1958 (Mooswald, Carinthia, Austria) She may soon compete on the World Cup tour. Ill never forget how we all erupted when he crossed the finish line. We were hardly breathing. Viewers will find a film filled with suspense and an endearing love story. 2 Years of Sipping Sports A Sip of Sports. Add to that his status as the greatest downhill skier in history, and the annual ski day he hosts in . (Surely my fathers tape isnt the only known copy of this run in full?) Thanks to special accreditations, we were standing right at the rink when Witt started to perform. Franz Klammer 1976 Innsbruck - The Greatest Downhill Run of All Time - FULL UNEDITED!! Frank Gifford called this event and he nailed it. Salmina was at Kitzbhel in 2003 the day Rahlves won. And still, he does everything right! Schmied literally grew up with the Klammer legend. A dozen years earlier on the same course in 1964, Egon Zimmermann posted a 2:18.16 to win the gold medal. I always had this feeling in the starting gate. He has worked as a designer of Olympic ski runs since 1988. ago I remember being a kid seeing this live and thinking how close to death he pushed himself. There is Schladming in Austria, where crowds of 30,000 or more stand along its wild drop-off schuss to the finish. He had won the pre-Olympic downhill on Patscherkofel over Russi in 1975. He won the gold medal in the downhill event at the 1976 Olympics in Innsbruck, Austria. In 1975 he had dominated the event in a fashion never seen before by winning 8 out of the nine downhill races of the season. Everyones heart was in their throats and on the edge of their seat. She finished second in downhill and giant slalom behind the unknown Swiss teenager Marie-Therese Nadig, who had never reached any major podium before the 1972 Olympics. Behind that, though, is a true love story that contributed to his athletic success. And then I knew immediately that ski racing would be my life.. Kids call the Jamaican . When casting ski racing doubles for Klammer, Salmina turned to his longtime friend Rahlves. Photo caption:Hermann Maiers nickname, the Herminator, was inspired at the 1998 Games by themovie character played by Arnold Schwarzenegger. TRY A 1-YR INTRODUCTORY MEMBERSHIP IN ISHA! At his peak (Wengen 1976 to Wengen 1977), Klammer won ten consecutive downhills, including the pressure-laden win at the 1976 Olympics. The bad ones are almost like little Franz gets his keys and then hes a teenager. [citation needed] He was the defending World Cup downhill champion and had won the three previous downhills in January at Wengen, Morzine and Kitzbhel, and also the previous year's race on the same Patscherkofel course. For Kaiser Franz, this moment of triumph happened on the 3,020m of the Patscherkofel in Innsbruck on Thursday 5 February 1976. I cant believe it, he has been amazing! Stewart said. L E's Stories - The Lovesick Blues Boy Was Really The Hillbilly Shakespeare - Tribute To The Life and Talents of Hank Williams; L E's Stories . During casting, Schmied and casting director Nicole Schmidt looked for actors and actresses right down to their age and the details of their regional dialect something tricky that changes over time. 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