Rettenbach (ski slope)

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.

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: advanced
Max. incline:34.3 degrees (68.2%)
Most wins (M): Ted Ligety (4x)
Most wins (L): Tina Maze (3x)

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

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
Rettenbach (finish area)
Rettenbach course (midsection)
Location in Austria
Location in the Alps
Location in the Europe
  • "Rettenbachjoch"
  • "Gletschertisch" (Glacier table)
  • "Gletschertränke" (Glacier abreuvoir)
  • "Eisfall" (Icefall) – the steepest part
  • "Gletscherzunge" (Glacier tongue)
  • "Elefantentränke" (Elephant potions)

Men's giant slalom
No. Date Winner Second Third
79430 October 1993   Franck Piccard Fredrik Nyberg  Kjetil André Aamodt
89627 October 1996     Steve Locher   Michael von Grünigen  Kjetil André Aamodt
97025 October 1998   Hermann Maier Stephan Eberharter Heinz Schilchegger
104529 October 2000   Hermann Maier Stephan Eberharter Fredrik Nyberg
107828 October 2001   Frédéric Covili Stephan Eberharter   Michael von Grünigen
Fredrik Nyberg
111327 October 2002   Stephan Eberharter Frédéric Covili   Michael von Grünigen
115026 October 2003   Bode Miller Frédéric Covili Joël Chenal
118924 October 2004   Bode Miller Massimiliano Blardone Kalle Palander
122523 October 2005   Hermann Maier Bode Miller Rainer Schönfelder
29 October 2006  cancelled
129828 October 2007    Aksel Lund Svindal Ted Ligety Kalle Palander
133826 October 2008     Daniel Albrecht   Didier Cuche Ted Ligety
137425 October 2009     Didier Cuche Ted Ligety   Carlo Janka
24 October 2010  cancelled after 1st run due to fog and wind
144423 October 2011   Ted Ligety Alexis Pinturault Philipp Schörghofer
148828 October 2012   Ted Ligety Manfred Mölgg Marcel Hirscher
152227 October 2013   Ted Ligety Alexis Pinturault Marcel Hirscher
155626 October 2014   Marcel Hirscher Fritz Dopfer Alexis Pinturault
159325 October 2015   Ted Ligety Thomas Fanara Marcel Hirscher
163723 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
174927 October 2019   Alexis Pinturault Mathieu Faivre Žan Kranjec
178318 October 2020    Lucas Braathen   Marco Odermatt   Gino Caviezel
181824 October 2021     Marco Odermatt Roland Leitinger Žan Kranjec

Women's giant slalom
No. Date Winner Second Third
73631 October 1993   Anita Wachter Sophie Lefranc Carole Merle
83626 October 1996   Katja Seizinger Deborah Compagnoni Hilde Gerg
90124 October 1998    Andrine Flemmen Alexandra Meissnitzer Deborah Compagnoni
97728 October 2000   Martina Ertl  Andrine Flemmen Anja Pärson
101127 October 2001   Michaela Dorfmeister   Sonja Nef Régine Cavagnoud
104526 October 2002    Andrine Flemmen
Nicole Hosp
Tina Maze
107825 October 2003   Martina Ertl Anja Pärson María José Rienda Contreras
111323 October 2004   Anja Pärson Tanja Poutiainen María José Rienda Contreras
114622 October 2005   Tina Maze Janica Kostelić Anja Pärson
28 October 2006  cancelled
121727 October 2007   Denise Karbon Julia Mancuso Kathrin Zettel
125225 October 2008   Kathrin Zettel Tanja Poutiainen Andrea Fischbacher
128624 October 2009   Tanja Poutiainen Kathrin Zettel Denise Karbon
131823 October 2010   Viktoria Rebensburg Kathrin Hölzl Manuela Mölgg
135122 October 2011   Lindsey Vonn Viktoria Rebensburg Elisabeth Görgl
138827 October 2012   Tina Maze Kathrin Zettel Stefanie Köhle
142326 October 2013     Lara Gut Kathrin Zettel Viktoria Rebensburg
145525 October 2014   Anna Fenninger
Mikaela Shiffrin		 Eva-Maria Brem
148724 October 2015   Federica Brignone Mikaela Shiffrin Tina Weirather
152722 October 2016     Lara Gut Mikaela Shiffrin Marta Bassino
156428 October 2017   Viktoria Rebensburg Tessa Worley Manuela Mölgg
160227 October 2018   Tessa Worley Federica Brignone Mikaela Shiffrin
163726 October 2019   Alice Robinson Mikaela Shiffrin Tessa Worley
166717 October 2020   Marta Bassino Federica Brignone Petra Vlhová
169823 October 2021   Mikaela Shiffrin   Lara Gut-Behrami Petra Vlhová

Fatal accidents

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
  1. "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.

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