SI Magazine: From February 4 to 16, 2025, the FIS Alpine Ski World Championships took place in Saalbach. In your view, what were the biggest challenges of this mega-event?

Peter Mitterer: The preparation time is extremely long. It already started in 2012. For example, when the Zwölferkogelbahn was rebuilt in 2018/2019, the requirements for the World Championships were already taken into account. Major hurdles included the approval processes for slope improvements and additional snowmaking systems.

How great was the additional effort that the cable car companies had to bear?

Enormous. The additional snowmaking costs amount to around 2.5 million euros. The extra preparation expenses can be estimated at around 400,000 euros. On top of that, there are 330,000 euros for additional snow generators and modifications to the Zwölferkogelbahn for the World Championships, amounting to approximately 1.5 million euros.

Is there a tangible benefit from these investments for individual skiers?

The base snowmaking on the Zwölferkogel can now be completed more quickly. Because of this and the five additional piste machines, we can ensure consistently outstanding slope quality. Our goal is for Saalbach to enter the World Cup circuit with speed races. We have shown the world how to organize a World Championship, which is why we hope to host World Cup races in the future.

How does the new Zwölferkogel Nordbahn fit into the World Championships concept?

We replaced the previous lift from 1989 with a 10-passenger gondola lift identical to the Zwölferkogelbahn, offering high transport capacity (2,600 people per hour). The new lift played a crucial role during the World Championships.

The idea was to concentrate all the events on one mountain, where ski guests could also enjoy uninterrupted skiing alongside the races. Did this approach work?

Our concept of “One Mountain – All Events” worked perfectly. The distances are short, and the transport logistics are ideal. The Zwölfer mountain has excellently fulfilled its role of bringing together elite sports and recreational skiing. We were also able to transport our guests to the mountain on race days.

Ski guests could watch the races from the slopes without needing a separate ticket. What was the feedback on this?

Very positive. On one hand, it was possible to watch along the race slopes. On the other hand, there were several public viewing areas (middle station, Breitfußalm, Winkleralm). For example, at the middle station, 4,000 to 5,000 skiers were watching live.

To ensure that skiers from Fieberbrunn/Leogang could reach the Zwölfer in time for the races, operations were started earlier. How well did this work?

It worked perfectly. In Fieberbrunn alone, there were an average of 2,500 more initial entries on race days. These were skiers who came to watch the races on the Zwölfer.

Additionally, there were fans who traveled to the Glemmtal specifically for the races. How did you manage this influx?

Those who arrived by public transport got off the bus at the terminal in Hinterglemm and walked the final 900 meters along the fan mile to the race area. This worked very well, too.

If another World Championship were to take place soon, what would you do differently?

Nothing, because our overall concept was very well received by athletes, officials, and guests.

Interview by: Oliver Pichler