Rettenbach (ski slope)

Ski course in Austria

Rettenbach

Place: |  Sölden, Tyrol
Mountain: | Wildspitze, Ötztal Alps
Opened: | 1993
Giant slalom
Start: | 3,040 m (9,974 ft) (AA)
Finish: | 2,670 m (8,760 ft)
Vertical drop: |  370 m (1,214 ft)
Level: |  expert
Max. incline: | 34.3 degrees (68.2%)
Most wins (M): |  Ted Ligety (4x)
Most wins (L): |  Tina Maze (3x)

Rettenbach is a World Cup giant slalom ski course in Austria on Rettenbach glacier above Sölden, Tyrol. Located on Wildspitze mountain in the Ötztal Alps, the race course debuted in 1993.

This course hosted total of 21 World Cup events for men (19th of all-time) and total 24 World Cup events for women (19th of all-time).

## World Cup

[edit]

Since 2000, it is the traditional opener for the World Cup season, with a giant slalom for both genders in late October; previously, it had alternated with Tignes, France, from 1993 on.[1]

The women's race in October 2002 was one of only two triple wins in World Cup history, as Andrine Flemmen (NOR), Nicole Hosp (AUT), and Tina Maze (SLO) shared first place.

The races start at an elevation of 3,040 metres (9,974 ft) above the Adriatic (sea level) and finish at 2,670 m (8,760 ft), yielding a vertical drop of 370 m (1,214 ft).

This slope is widely regarded as the most difficult giant slalom on the women's circuit, with a maximum gradient of 68.2 percent (34.3 degrees) at "Eisfall".[1]

### Course sections

[edit]

class=notpageimage|

Location in Austria

class=notpageimage|

Location in the Alps

class=notpageimage|

Location in the Europe

* "Rettenbachjoch"
* "Gletschertisch" (Glacier table)
* "Gletscherkante" (Glacier abreuvoir)
* "Eisfall" (Icefall) – the steepest part (68.2%)
* "Gletscherzunge" (Glacier tongue)
* "Elefantentränke" (Elephant potions)

Rettenbach course  | Rettenbach course

|

300x | 300x
Finish area  | Midsection

### Men's giant slalom

[edit]

No. | Date  | Winner  | Second  | Third

|
|
|
|

794 | 30 October 1993  |  Franck Piccard |  Fredrik Nyberg |  Kjetil André Aamodt
896 | 27 October 1996  |  Steve Locher |  Michael von Grünigen |  Kjetil André Aamodt
970 | 25 October 1998  |  Hermann Maier |  Stephan Eberharter |  Heinz Schilchegger
1045 | 29 October 2000  |  Hermann Maier |  Stephan Eberharter |  Fredrik Nyberg
1078 | 28 October 2001  |  Frédéric Covili |  Stephan Eberharter |  Michael von Grünigen
Fredrik Nyberg
1113 | 27 October 2002  |  Stephan Eberharter |  Frédéric Covili |  Michael von Grünigen
1150 | 26 October 2003  |  Bode Miller |  Frédéric Covili |  Joël Chenal
1189 | 24 October 2004  |  Bode Miller |  Massimiliano Blardone |  Kalle Palander
1225 | 23 October 2005  |  Hermann Maier |  Bode Miller |  Rainer Schönfelder
| 29 October 2006  | cancelled
1298 | 28 October 2007  |  Aksel Lund Svindal |  Ted Ligety |  Kalle Palander
1338 | 26 October 2008  |  Daniel Albrecht |  Didier Cuche |  Ted Ligety
1374 | 25 October 2009  |  Didier Cuche |  Ted Ligety |  Carlo Janka
| 24 October 2010  | cancelled after 1st run due to fog and wind
1444 | 23 October 2011  |  Ted Ligety |  Alexis Pinturault |  Philipp Schörghofer
1488 | 28 October 2012  |  Ted Ligety |  Manfred Mölgg |  Marcel Hirscher
1522 | 27 October 2013  |  Ted Ligety |  Alexis Pinturault |  Marcel Hirscher
1556 | 26 October 2014  |  Marcel Hirscher |  Fritz Dopfer |  Alexis Pinturault
1593 | 25 October 2015  |  Ted Ligety |  Thomas Fanara |  Marcel Hirscher
1637 | 23 October 2016  |  Alexis Pinturault |  Marcel Hirscher |  Felix Neureuther
| 29 October 2017  | cancelled due to excessive high winds
28 October 2018  | heavy snowfall and excessive high winds; rescheduled to Saalbach-Hinterglemm
1749 | 27 October 2019  |  Alexis Pinturault |  Mathieu Faivre |  Žan Kranjec
1783 | 18 October 2020  |  Lucas Braathen |  Marco Odermatt |  Gino Caviezel
1818 | 24 October 2021  |  Marco Odermatt |  Roland Leitinger |  Žan Kranjec
1855 | 23 October 2022  |  Marco Odermatt |  Žan Kranjec |  Henrik Kristoffersen
| 29 October 2023  | cancelled due to strong winds after 47 skiers had run
1928 | 27 October 2024  |  Alexander Steen Olsen |  Henrik Kristoffersen |  Atle Lie McGrath

### Women's giant slalom

[edit]

No. | Date  | Winner  | Second  | Third

|
|
|
|

736 | 31 October 1993  |  Anita Wachter |  Sophie Lefranc |  Carole Merle
836 | 26 October 1996  |  Katja Seizinger |  Deborah Compagnoni |  Hilde Gerg
901 | 24 October 1998  |  Andrine Flemmen |  Alexandra Meissnitzer |  Deborah Compagnoni
977 | 28 October 2000  |  Martina Ertl |  Andrine Flemmen |  Anja Pärson
1011 | 27 October 2001  |  Michaela Dorfmeister |  Sonja Nef |  Régine Cavagnoud
1045 | 26 October 2002  |  Andrine Flemmen
Nicole Hosp
Tina Maze |
1078 | 25 October 2003  |  Martina Ertl |  Anja Pärson |  María José Rienda Contreras
1113 | 23 October 2004  |  Anja Pärson |  Tanja Poutiainen |  María José Rienda Contreras
1146 | 22 October 2005  |  Tina Maze |  Janica Kostelić |  Anja Pärson
| 28 October 2006  | cancelled
1217 | 27 October 2007  |  Denise Karbon |  Julia Mancuso |  Kathrin Zettel
1252 | 25 October 2008  |  Kathrin Zettel |  Tanja Poutiainen |  Andrea Fischbacher
1286 | 24 October 2009  |  Tanja Poutiainen |  Kathrin Zettel |  Denise Karbon
1318 | 23 October 2010  |  Viktoria Rebensburg |  Kathrin Hölzl |  Manuela Mölgg
1351 | 22 October 2011  |  Lindsey Vonn |  Viktoria Rebensburg |  Elisabeth Görgl
1388 | 27 October 2012  |  Tina Maze |  Kathrin Zettel |  Stefanie Köhle
1423 | 26 October 2013  |  Lara Gut |  Kathrin Zettel |  Viktoria Rebensburg
1455 | 25 October 2014  |  Anna Fenninger
Mikaela Shiffrin |  |  Eva-Maria Brem
1487 | 24 October 2015  |  Federica Brignone |  Mikaela Shiffrin |  Tina Weirather
1527 | 22 October 2016  |  Lara Gut |  Mikaela Shiffrin |  Marta Bassino
1564 | 28 October 2017  |  Viktoria Rebensburg |  Tessa Worley |  Manuela Mölgg
1602 | 27 October 2018  |  Tessa Worley |  Federica Brignone |  Mikaela Shiffrin
1637 | 26 October 2019  |  Alice Robinson |  Mikaela Shiffrin |  Tessa Worley
1667 | 17 October 2020  |  Marta Bassino |  Federica Brignone |  Petra Vlhová
1698 | 23 October 2021  |  Mikaela Shiffrin |  Lara Gut-Behrami |  Petra Vlhová
| 22 October 2022  | snowfall and poor visibility
1773 | 28 October 2023  |  Lara Gut-Behrami |  Federica Brignone |  Petra Vlhová
1812 | 26 October 2024  |  Federica Brignone |  Alice Robinson |  Julia Scheib

## Fatal accidents

[edit]

On January 5, 2015, two prospects of the United States Ski Team, Ronnie Berlack and Bryce Astle, were killed by an avalanche they triggered near Rettenbach glacier.[2]

On 17 November 2015, Slovenian ex skier Drago Grubelnik died in a car accident on the seventh curve (elevation 2,455 m (8,054 ft)) on the road descending to Sölden, not far below the World Cup finish area.[3]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b "Alpiner Weltcup Start in Sölden Heiß auf 35 Grad Gefälle" (in German). schneestation.com. Retrieved 17 November 2015.
2. ^ "2 US ski team prospects die in avalanche in Austria". 5 January 2015. Retrieved 10 January 2015.
3. ^ "Izpoved Bolgara, ki je z Dragom Grubelnikom zgrmel v brezno" (in Slovenian). Siol. Retrieved 17 November 2015.

## External links

[edit]

* FIS Alpine Ski World Cup – Soelden, Austria
* Ski-db.com \- Soelden men's races

46°56′35.06″N 10°55′47.11″E﻿ / ﻿46.9430722°N 10.9297528°E﻿ / 46.9430722; 10.9297528

* v
* t
* e

FIS Alpine Ski World Cup pistes

* Adelboden: Chuenisbärgli
* Alta Badia: Gran Risa
* Åre: Störtloppet
* Beaver Creek: Birds of Prey
* Bormio: Stelvio
* Cortina d’Ampezzo: Olimpia delle Tofane
* Courchevel: Stade Émile-Allais, Roc de Fer, L'Éclipse
* Crans-Montana: Mont Lachaux (W), Nationale (M)
* Garmisch-Partenkirchen: Gudiberg, Kandahar
* Gröden-Val Gardena: Saslong
* Gurgl: Kirchenkar
* Killington: Superstar
* Kitzbühel: Ganslernhang (SL), Streif (DH)
* Kranjska Gora: Podkoren 3
* Kronplatz: Erta
* Kvitfjell: Olympiabakken
* La Thuile: 3 Franco Berthod
* Lake Louise: Men's Olympic / East Summit
* Lech/Zürs: Flexenarena
* Levi: Levi Black
* Lienz: Schlossberg
* Madonna di Campiglio: Canalone Miramonti
* Maribor: Miranova proga A
* Schladming: Planai
* Semmering: Panorama
* Sestriere: Pista Gianni A. Agnelli
* Sölden: Rettenbach
* St. Anton: Karl-Schranz-Piste
* St. Moritz: Engiadina, Corviglia
* Val-d’Isère: La face de Bellevarde, Piste Oreiller-Killy
* Wengen: Lauberhorn, Männlichen
* Zagreb: Crveni spust
* Zauchensee: Kälberloch

*[No.]: Consecutive World Cup event in total
*[v]: View this template
*[t]: Discuss this template
*[e]: Edit this template