The Four Hills Tournament will be decided in the inrun as well, Peter Riedel says
Peter Riedel, in a few days, the 61st Four Hills Tournament will be starting and you have a special relation to this tournament series due to the venue of Garmisch-Partenkirchen.
“Apart from the fact that the Four Hills Tournament captivates everyone who is interested in winter sports, I especially maintain good relationships with the decision-makers in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. After all, we realized a project together a few years ago which was far from easy due to the tight deadline. The fact is that the Olympic Hill (Olympiaschanze) from 1936 has been replaced by one of the latest facilities of the world and thus it is one of our big prestigious objects and showpieces as well.”
When the jump was newly built in 2007, your company was awarded the contract of installing the inrun. And in the course of time, innovations were added again and again.
“The inrun in Garmisch has an overall length of 103.50 metres. A double track which allows for an unproblematic use in winter and in summer was installed – just cover one track and uncover the adjacent track and vice versa. Within four weeks we had established the inrun. However, with our partner REHAU we had decided to assemble it on level ground and not to install it on the jump until 90 per cent of it was completed. As scheduled, a Continental Cup was held at the end of 2007 and in 2008, the Austrian Gregor Schlierenzauer was the first winner on the new facility.”
Up-to-date measuring technologies and new mills were added…
“Yes, one year ago, the Peter Riedel GmbH installed a measuring technology which is probably unique. On the one hand, it is able to generate sports scientific data which are exclusively available to the coaches of the different teams. On the other hand, some facts and figures are interesting for the public as well and they are spread by the media - for example the force in the legs exerted by the athlete means whether he acts ‘in balance’, or the response times. ‘Too early’ and ‘too late’ at the jump-off platform is not a question of visual judgement anymore but a provable factor. Follow this event on January 1st on ARD!A few weeks ago, a new mill was delivered to Bavaria in order to be able to completely satisfy the new FIS regulations, for example in terms of the depth of the inrun.”
However, looking at a ski jump, a mill seems to be an insignificant detail…
“But it isn`t. Using its cutters, the mill cuts grooves into the block of ice. And these grooves allow the ski jumper to slide optimally and to feel even more air under his ski. The coefficient of sliding friction is minimized and the inrun to the jump-off platform is free from bumps and joints. The mill designed by our company disposes amongst others of a new running gear, an innovative triaxial milling system and of special cutters which texture the ice even better.”
Who will win the Tournament of 2012/13?
“Oh, I guess I`m the wrong person being asked. However, I join the experts who predict an excellent duel between Austria and Germany and just like the head coach of the Austrian Ski Federation (ÖSV), Alexander Pointner, I am excited how the wild German youth will deal with the pressure that rests with them to this extent for the first time. I hope that the Tournament will be exciting up to its last jump in Bischofshofen. And I know that it will also be decided in the inruns, also in the one by Ski-Line in Garmisch-Partenkirchen.”
Thank you very much for the interview, have fun at the Tournament of 2012/13 and best wishes for the New Year!
And read at the end of January 2013 Modular principle inruns. Visiting the Peter Riedel GmbH.
