RASCHAU/RAMSAU AM DACHSTEIN, 27th of March 2014 –The winter sports season 2013/14 belongs to the past, the Olympic and World Cup winners have been chosen - it starts the time to be considered in the balance sheets.
Especially one project from the house of Peter Riedel has drawn up the interest of the international ski scene in the last eight months. As part of the partnership between the Saxon company and the Austrian Ski Federation (ÖSV) a test track was installed in Ramsau am Dachstein last year, which soon received the name "Speed Race".

"We are pragmatic approached this business venture", says Toni Giger, head of development, research and innovation in the Austrian Ski Federation (ÖSV). "The goal was to get faster in the inrun of ski jumps, and this have achieved our athletes, ski jumpers and Nordic combined. From this point of view, the project was a good idea, the cooperation can only be rated as positive."

The test system in Ramsau had been installed in the summer of 2013, among other things with the aim to produce the same conditions, like the Austrian athletes will have at the Olympic Winter Games in Sochi. "It was a feat of strength, in which Peter Riedel has been very supportive to us", said Giger. "The construction phase of the test facility was very challenging, but it was a stated goal to have the system ready for use before the onset of winter." Riedel added: "This made it possible to win additional knowledge for the highlight of the season. In Ramsau the Austrian Ski Team laid the foundation for a successful Olympic campaign. Silver in the team competition of special ski jumpers, bronze in the team competition of the combiner speak for themselves! "
It has been tested in many respects. On the one hand athletes were able to work on perfect inrun track conditions and find the best aerodynamic position, on the other hand there were also different materials, such as the structures of the ski flooring or wax, tested and optimized.

"I am very pleased that we were able to achieve such a prestigious project of our partnership with the Austrian Ski Federation in the first year", says Peter Riedel. "We are used to see the superstars of the sport on inrun tracks of our house in the competition. But that Schlierenzauer, Morgenstern and Co. train on a Riedel-made test track has also filled with joy and pride. Our efforts are also acknowledged publicly - as part of the World Cup in Trondheim thanked us also officially the Austrian Ski team, led by head coach Alex Pointner."

That the "Speed Race" in Ramsau am Dachstein has not remained unobserved, was obvious. "If there is an inrun track, but the take-off is missing. This arouses curiosity naturally, there you got to ask for", says Toni Giger. "We could and did, hold the test track not secret from the beginning. If this had had in the minds of the ÖSV, it would have been necessary to install the training track where there is no jump - with all the attendant financial and technical exercise disadvantages, such as: Installing of an own climb help, inability of a regular ski jumping training."

So Giger and Riedel look back completely satisfied to the first year of a partnership that will intensify in the coming seasons even further. "The next step in Ramsau is the commissioning of the summer track", says Giger, "and the company Riedel has the ability to test innovations in their development in Ramsau, with the support of the Austrian Ski Federation (ÖSV). It is interesting in any case."

In the meantime they are testing and testing in Ramsau. A few days ago the jumpers went on at 20 degrees Celsius, and on perfectly groomed ice track, currently the temperatures are a bit cooler again. "We have frequently proved that our tracks have no problem between minus and plus 30 degrees Celsius", Peter Riedel is proud. On a further cooperation with the Austrian Ski Federation, he is pleased: "It is an honor to be associated with such a professional winter sports federation!"