Where to Ski And Snowboard - Race uphill on Kitzbühel’s Streif

Race uphill on Kitzbühel’s Streif

3rd February 2017, by Abi Butcher

Athletes will run 3,312m up the Streif in Kitzbühel Vertical Up race

How do you fancy tackling Kitzbühel’s famous Streif run — on which the Hahnenkamm is held — on foot, uphill at night?

On Saturday 25 February the Austrian ski resort will host the ““Vertical Up” race, when hundreds of crazy snow-lovers and athletes will run 3,312m up the Streif — an elevation of 860m. Competitors can take part wearing whatever they wish — including spiked shoes, trainers and touring skis and carry ski poles if they wish. Although the average slope gradient of Kitzbühel’s Streif is 27 degrees, the run hits 85 degrees in the steepest section — and two degrees on the flattest.

There are two classes in the “Streif Vertical Up…The Battle on the Hahnenkamm” — the fastest athlete, for which the first prize is €3,000 or the fun backpack class, where athletes must wear a backpack. The prize for the fun class is a rucksack full of alcohol-free beer, clothing and a mystery extra prize. There is an extra €500 prize for the team with the most starters.

The Vertical Up begins at 1,665m where the starters box for the Hahnenkamm Race normally sits. The race will kick off at 18:30 with competitors starting in alphabetical order and timed individually.

There are five Vertical Up races around the Alps over the winter, the first this season was held in Hinterstoder, Austria, followed by Val Gardena and Madonna di Campiglio in Italy and finishing in Wengen on 25 March. This is the seventh time Kitzbühel has hosted a Vertical Up race.