Werner Heel, Florian Schieder and Alexander Prast in Reinswald. © PM Reinswald

20th European Cup in Reinswald: Stories from the Sarntal Valley

The FIS Alpine Skiing European Cup in Sarntal is celebrating a significant anniversary this year. The second-highest level of competition will be held in the ski resort, just a 20-minute drive from Bolzano, for the 20th time in about two weeks with two women's Super-G races (February 3rd and 4th). We've delved into the statistics – and unearthed a few anecdotes.

21 January 2026

From: pm

Austrian Christine Spornring was the first winner in Reinswald on February 2, 2005. Twenty-one years ago, she won the downhill race, flanked by Italian Alexandra Coletti and Astrid Vierthaler (also from Austria). Since then, 58 more European Cup races have taken place in the Sarntal Valley – a total of 16 women's and 43 men's.

After two editions of the Women's European Cup, only men competed for victory in Reinswald for over a decade, starting in 2007. And right at the premiere, something happened on the Plankenhorn slope that would never be repeated. Frenchman Johan Clarey won all three races held in the Sarntal valley that year – two downhills and a super combined.

Prominent Winners

Clarey, the 2019 Super-G World Championship silver medalist in Åre and multiple-time runner-up in the downhill on the Streif, is not the only prominent winner to have graced the snows of Sarnen. For example, in 2009, Patrick Staudacher from Pflersch, the 2007 Super-G World Champion, won the downhill. A year later, Joachim Puchner (Austria) celebrated victory in the Super-G – today he races down the World Cup slopes with a camera. In the Olympic year of 2014, Silvan Zurbriggen celebrated a double victory. The Swiss skier has won Olympic bronze (Super Combined, Vancouver 2010) and a World Championship silver medal (Slalom, St. Moritz 2003) in his career. Double Olympic champion Johannes Strolz (Austria), also from Beijing, has stood atop the podium in Reinswald – the Vorarlberg native won an Alpine Combined event in 2018.

Dominik Paris didn't win in Reinswald, but he did stand on the podium in 2009. In the downhill race that Patrick Staudacher won, the Ultental native finished third – much to the delight of the then legendary organizing committee head, Konrad Stauder. Paris has a strong connection to Reinswald. He competed in his very first European Cup race there in 2007 – at a time when it wasn't yet clear that he would become the second most successful downhill racer of all time with 19 victories.

Kilde with two podium finishes

Aleksander Aamodt Kilde also delivered in the Sarntal Valley. In 2013, at the start of his magnificent career, the Norwegian finished second twice (Super Combined, Super-G). Today, Kilde, who like Paris is still active, can look back on 21 World Cup victories, two World Championship medals, and two Olympic medals.

Aleksandr Aamodt Kilde (left) stood on the podium twice in Reinswald.

In 2020, the women returned to Reinswald. Nadine Fest has become the queen of the Schöneben slope in recent years, which replaced the Plankenhorn slope as the competition venue. The Carinthian has won four races since then – making her the record holder. She also has three second-place finishes and one third-place finish to her name. When Fest competes, she usually finishes in the top three.

Even a newly crowned double world champion celebrated in the Sarntal Valley. That was last year when American Breezy Johnson arrived completely unexpectedly in the South Tyrolean ski resort. She stated that she competed in the Super-G races to gain valuable points in this discipline and thus improve her overall World Cup standings. And so it was – Johnson won the first race and finished third in the second.

Vonn only trained in Reinswald

Johnson's teammate Lindsey Vonn, by the way, didn't compete in any races in Reinswald. However, in 2019, the ski superstar prepared for the World Championships in Åre on the Schöneben slope, where she won the bronze medal in the downhill and subsequently ended her career for the time being. Five years later, Vonn celebrated a surprising victory.

A comeback that culminated a few days ago in Zauchensee with the second downhill victory of the season.

Back to Reinswald, where Luis Hofer has now taken over coordination of the European Cup and is supported by organizing committee president Richard Moser. A total of 59 races have been held in the 19 editions of the European Cup held so far. By far the most successful nation is Austria with 23 victories. France ranks second in the all-time standings with eight wins. Switzerland and host country Italy each have seven victories. Norway (4), the USA (4), Germany (2), Sweden (2), Canada (1), and the Czech Republic (1) have also celebrated at least one victory. It remains to be seen who will etch their name into the history books at the 20th edition – and whether it might be an Olympic or World Champion.