Ski stars unveil information pylons

OK WM 2011 am 11.01.2008 - 15:10 Uhr

Politicians, ski racers and medal winners unveiled the first information pylon for the FIS Alpine World Ski Championship at the city limit of Garmisch-Partenkirchen. They all promote the World Championships that will take place 2011 in the city in the middle of the “Werdenfelser Land”.

Many active and former ski stars present
Many active and former ski stars were present at the unveiling of the first information pylon in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. Among the medal winners of the Alpine World Ski Championships of 1978 Marile Epple-Beck, Irene Epple-Waigel and Michael Veith came also our hope for future medals at the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2011: Maria Riesch and Felix Neureuther, Germanys best ski racers right now. Both are coming from Garmisch-Partenkirchen and are anxiously looking forward to this major event.
The mayor of Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Thomas Schmid, did the unveiling. “I want to thank the Organizing Committee and all participating communities of the county for their engagement,” said Schmidt. “The pylons are a sort of trademark for Garmisch-Partenkirchen and make visible that city and region are “the land of the World Championships 2011.”

Region committed to World Championships 2011
The first big media activity to attract public interest of the Organizing Committee of the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 2011 is to place information cones at all thoroughfares within the county at the entries of the cities. 22 pylons filled with stones will be put at visible points of 13 cities. Fixed to them are panels with a height of 2 ½ meters showing the WM logo and a greeting. During the time of planning all the communities of the county agreed to participate and made the respective locations available. The support of the local authorities (Landratsamt Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Straßenverwaltung Weilheim) helped to realize the project without any problems. This disposition to cooperate proved once again the supportive attitude of the whole region.

to attract attention
Goal of the activity is to mark the county as “the land of the World Championships 2011.”
In addition travelers are made aware of the coming event, the logo gets known better and the communities of the region are integrated into the activities of the Organizing Committee.

Neureuther with even more motivation
Felix Neureuther arrived directly from a training at the glacier to the ceremony.” I think this action is great. Everybody driving through the county will be constantly reminded of the World Championships. For me that’s an extra motivation for 2011.”

Former ski star Michael Veith thought of previous world championships: ”I had so many memories of the championships 1978 in my mind during the unveiling. Such a major event in your own country, a great ambiance and than to win a medal – that was just super.”

Marile Epple-Beck knows what she is talking about too: ”A World Championship at home, that is something very special. You can almost feel the solidarity of the whole nation. The pylons will be a first symbol. I remember very well the enthusiasm at the world championships of 1978 that spread over to all the athletes. I wish that Maria and Felix could have similar experiences, they are both able to reach high in 2011.”