Patscherkofel

Patscherkofel

Patscherkofel in December 2006
Elevation 2,246 m (7,369 ft)
Prominence 1,376 m (4,514 ft)
Location
Location Tyrol, Austria
Range Tuxer Alpen
Coordinates 47°12′32″N 11°27′39″E / 47.20889°N 11.46083°ECoordinates: 47°12′32″N 11°27′39″E / 47.20889°N 11.46083°E
Patscherkofel
Location in the Alps of Europe

Patscherkofel is a mountain and ski area in the Alps, in Tyrol in western Austria, 7 km (4 mi.) south of Innsbruck. The peak rises to a summit elevation of 2,246 m (7,369 ft) above sea level The town of Igls at its northwest base is at 870 m (2,854 ft), a vertical drop of 1,376 m (4,514 ft).

Winter Olympics

During both the 1964[1] and 1976 Winter Olympics,[2] the mountain was the venue for the men's downhill race, along with the bobsleigh and luge competitions in neighboring Igls. The other five alpine skiing events were held at Axamer Lizum.[3]

Ski legend Franz Klammer of Austria, then age 22, won his Olympic gold medal at Patscherkofel, dramatically edging out defending Olympic champion Bernhard Russi of Switzerland by 0.33 seconds in the 1976 Downhill.[4] The 3.020 km (1.88 mi) course had a vertical drop of 870 m (2,854 ft) and started at 1,950 m (6,398 ft), well below the mountain's summit. Behind at the last timing interval, Klammer finished at 1:45.73, an average speed of 102.8 km/h (63.9 mph) and vertical descent rate of 8.2 m/s (26.9 ft/s).

Egon Zimmermann, also of Austria, took the gold medal a dozen years earlier in the 1964 Olympic downhill. His winning time was 2:18.16, more than a half minute behind Klammer's.

Video

References

  1. ↑ 1964 Winter Olympics official report. pp. 78, 82-85. (German)
  2. ↑ 1976 Winter Olympics official report. p. 198. (English), (French), & (German)
  3. ↑ de:Olympische Winterspiele 1976/Ski Alpin
  4. ↑ Johnson, William Oscar (16 February 1976). "On came the heroes". Sports Illustrated: 10.

External links

Media related to Patscherkofel at Wikimedia Commons