Alex Oberbacher and the record that made it onto television

The 26-year-old does not describe himself as an extreme athlete. “I'm a bit of a scaredy-cat. If something is quite exposed, I have respect,” says Oberbacher, South Tyrol’s national ski touring champion. The adjective “extreme” best describes the achievements of the former cross-country skier, whose skills are by no means limited to ski touring. Whether running up the mountain or racing down the slopes - Oberbacher seeks thrills in a way that is second to none. No wonder the station ServusTV became aware of the man from St. Ulrich. Marmolada record broken “Actually, a report on the Marmolada and the Veneto Dolomites was planned for the Bergwelten program,” reveals Oberbacher, who is a member of the national ski touring and running teams. But when he told the producers about his plan, they quickly threw the plans overboard and decided to accompany the man from Val Gardena on his record attempt. Oberbacher's path led from the parish church in Canazei to the highest point of the Marmolada, the Punta Penia at 3.343 meters above sea level, and then returned to the starting point, mind you. The 13-year-old record was held by Filippo Beccari and Luca Miori, who climbed the 3.916 meters in 2:51.39 hours.

After much planning and a test attempt, the time had finally come last September. Accompanied by a cameraman and a drone, Oberbacher started his attempt in less than ideal conditions. “I believed I could break the record because I knew I was superior to Beccari and Miori in the promotion. However, I was afraid of losing time on the descent because of the partly icy surface,” says Oberbacher. That's how it happened, but in the end he saved a lead of over two minutes at the finish. The new record is now 2:49.36 hours.

Alex Oberbacher in his element.

Oberbacher, the bronze medalist at this year's Italian Ski Mountaineering Championships, has more time in the summer to dedicate himself to setting new records, as (almost) all races have been canceled. “Projects on the Plattkofel, the Antelao or the Monte Pelmo appeal to me. But I haven't planned anything specifically yet," says the man, who hopes that ski mountaineering will be included in the Olympic program with a view to the 2026 Winter Games in Cortina. It would give his sport a lot of visibility and also open new doors. But he doesn't want to think that far yet. “I’m happy that I can do what I love again after such a long time at home.”

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Alex Oberbacher and the record that made it onto television

His name is not known to the masses, but Alex Oberbacher has achieved what not many South Tyrolean athletes can claim: With a remarkable record, he landed on prime time on German television.

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