I was 23, a ski bum in Vail, working as a dishwasher @ Guido's then .There was a color TV on the bar...we would jump out of the kitchen as much as we could to watch the Olympics. The entire restaurant was focused on this. I sat on the floor in front of the TV to watch this run. Wow. Thanks for the memory!
Will never forget watching this on television back in ‘76. Was and still is one of the most exciting moments in television history. If you saw it, you never forget it! The excitement of the announcers and the insanity of his run….unforgettable! 👍🏻❤️🍻😎
Like others have said, anyone who saw this on TV at the time will never forget it. It's still the most exciting downhill run I've ever seen. The great Swiss downhiller Bernhard Russi, who won the gold in the 1972 Sapporo Olympics, had set a new course record a few skiers earlier, which put HUGE pressure on Klammer, but "The Kaiser" pulled it out. Also of note is that Klammer had 4 wins at Kitzbühel among his 25 World Cup downhill victories.
I was racing in high school at the time and was following the season closely. I remember watching this live at home, yelling every time he was off balance. There's been plenty of other amazing winning downhill runs since then, but none were as special as this one.
This was my first time watching the Winter Olympics that I can remember. I was nine years old at the time and this sparked my love of alpine skiing ever since! To make it even better my mum took me and my sister to Austria for the summer holidays in the same year and we visited Innsbruck and many of the Winter Olympics locations. I also spent my tenth birthday in Vienna! I've been a fan of the Austrian ski team ever since!
Amazed how he could make it down such a rough course! I skied DH at about the same time as Franz, but obviously no where near his caliber. No idea how he stayed upright for this run!
I was there, a 14 year old teenager, live at the slope. We all had no clue about the race time. All I could remember was a whooosh as Franz past the position where i was standing and the incredible noise of hundreds of fans standing on both sides of the slope. A moment I'll never forget .
Seeing this for the first time for along I realise the memory I have as a fifteen year old of him being utterly on the edge, he is at times however ski contact with the ground he maintains contact with the ground as much as possible whilst chasing the limit. Still wonderful to watch some forty seven years later.
I still remember this as I had just learned to ski in 1976'ish time frame. The most over the top winning run ever, on really bad snow. What a great show that was.
The pressure was enormous for Klammer after his very dominant performance in the Downhill World Cup for the last two seasons. He was the absolute favorite, his own expectations and that of Austria were very high. To win despite all that, to have the nerves to decide for a risky new line during the race - in the last part - thats really iconic.
still one of the greatest downhill runs i.m.h.o...he contiuously goes past the "edge" of control all through the course. "nerves of steel" as they say 😀
Bill Johnson had a downhill run almost as incredible; I think it was Kitzbuhel. He took an inside line off of a very steep gate and kept it together. Then in the flats, with bumps, he goes off course at warp speed. It looks like he is going to blow up, but recovers to make the next gate and won the race.
Greatest downhiller of all time winning the most IMPORTANT race in skiing history. Top to bottom coverage by ABC TV was crucial. Klammer was a huge hero in his home Austria, but also well known in the United States. Part of the run was part of the opening to Wide World of Sports for many years. Really put ski racing on the map in the USA. He and Russi would compete in the ABC made for TV competition called "The Superstars" with American football, basketball and baseball players.
Klammer was asked if he felt at some point he might fall? He responded by saying that there was no time during the entire run that he had enough control that he felt that he wouldn't crash. I was there and also watched Rosie Mittimiere dominate the women's with 2 gold and a silver.
It's really interesting to see how much has changed with ski racing. Race courses are kept in much better condition now, and the design and tuning of skis has changed a lot, too. Present-day racing skis have much better grip and shock absorption.
Wow. Saw this during the Olympics, but not the complete run since. Good job digging this up! Insane skiing. Looks like an altercation in the finish area. What was that about?
I was 23, a ski bum in Vail, working as a dishwasher @ Guido's then .There was a color TV on the bar...we would jump out of the kitchen as much as we could to watch the Olympics. The entire restaurant was focused on this. I sat on the floor in front of the TV to watch this run. Wow. Thanks for the memory!
Probably the most iconic on/over the edge downhill run ever. He just hung it out there and hung on for dear life. Beautiful really.
Will never forget watching this on television back in ‘76.
Was and still is one of the most exciting moments in television history.
If you saw it, you never forget it!
The excitement of the announcers and the insanity of his run….unforgettable! 👍🏻❤️🍻😎
Many decades later, this is still the most exciting downhill I've ever seen.
Remember it like it was yesterday . Literally unbelievable !!!!
I remember, this was on live TV and the entire town (Innsbruck) stopped to watch it. He was the heavy favorite and he delivered!
Like others have said, anyone who saw this on TV at the time will never forget it. It's still the most exciting downhill run I've ever seen. The great Swiss downhiller Bernhard Russi, who won the gold in the 1972 Sapporo Olympics, had set a new course record a few skiers earlier, which put HUGE pressure on Klammer, but "The Kaiser" pulled it out. Also of note is that Klammer had 4 wins at Kitzbühel among his 25 World Cup downhill victories.
I was racing in high school at the time and was following the season closely. I remember watching this live at home, yelling every time he was off balance. There's been plenty of other amazing winning downhill runs since then, but none were as special as this one.
This was my first time watching the Winter Olympics that I can remember. I was nine years old at the time and this sparked my love of alpine skiing ever since! To make it even better my mum took me and my sister to Austria for the summer holidays in the same year and we visited Innsbruck and many of the Winter Olympics locations. I also spent my tenth birthday in Vienna! I've been a fan of the Austrian ski team ever since!
Amazed how he could make it down such a rough course! I skied DH at about the same time as Franz, but obviously no where near his caliber. No idea how he stayed upright for this run!
I was there, a 14 year old teenager, live at the slope. We all had no clue about the race time. All I could remember was a whooosh as Franz past the position where i was standing and the incredible noise of hundreds of fans standing on both sides of the slope. A moment I'll never forget .
Seeing this for the first time for along I realise the memory I have as a fifteen year old of him being utterly on the edge, he is at times however ski contact with the ground he maintains contact with the ground as much as possible whilst chasing the limit. Still wonderful to watch some forty seven years later.
I still remember this as I had just learned to ski in 1976'ish time frame. The most over the top winning run ever, on really bad snow. What a great show that was.
The pressure was enormous for Klammer after his very dominant performance in the Downhill World Cup for the last two seasons. He was the absolute favorite, his own expectations and that of Austria were very high. To win despite all that, to have the nerves to decide for a risky new line during the race - in the last part - thats really iconic.
So rad. Balls out performance. Thanks for posting this video.
This was his Do or Die run. I've been to the Olympia Museum in Innsbruck (under the golden roof) and have seen the skis he used
Kepp in mind:
the day before Franz said in an interview "tomorrow i will win gold for austria"
the balls you need for that statement
still one of the greatest downhill runs i.m.h.o...he contiuously goes past the "edge" of control all through the course. "nerves of steel" as they say 😀
Bill Johnson had a downhill run almost as incredible; I think it was Kitzbuhel. He took an inside line off of a very steep gate and kept it together. Then in the flats, with bumps, he goes off course at warp speed. It looks like he is going to blow up, but recovers to make the next gate and won the race.
Inspiring to daredevils like Bill Johnston. Risk takers make downhill legends.
Greatest downhiller of all time winning the most IMPORTANT race in skiing history. Top to bottom coverage by ABC TV was crucial. Klammer was a huge hero in his home Austria, but also well known in the United States. Part of the run was part of the opening to Wide World of Sports for many years. Really put ski racing on the map in the USA. He and Russi would compete in the ABC made for TV competition called "The Superstars" with American football, basketball and baseball players.
The way he bounces around gives me butterflies.
Ahh the good old days of the combined downhill / mogul event .... that piste is BRUTAL
Klammer was asked if he felt at some point he might fall? He responded by saying that there was no time during the entire run that he had enough control that he felt that he wouldn't crash. I was there and also watched Rosie Mittimiere dominate the women's with 2 gold and a silver.
His was the best downhill run I ever saw. He was either going to win or die when he landed that jump onto the tail of one ski.
Zactly: Win or go down in flames! Ha, ha, ha, ha......
Watching Gods hand reaching down to put him back on his skis again and again... very tiring for God.
course prep must be so much different now. It looked very bumpy.
"I was completely out of control." -- Franz Klammer
And watching it, so was everyone else!
@@Steeyuv I saw it live, I think. Never forgot it.
It's really interesting to see how much has changed with ski racing. Race courses are kept in much better condition now, and the design and tuning of skis has changed a lot, too. Present-day racing skis have much better grip and shock absorption.
I don't think skis have shock absorption.
Yes and close to borring to watch nowadays.
@@hayttomthey do react much smother now. And so much stable. Klammer skis were so hard to turn !!!
Wragged edge barely covers it. Brilliant!
Che mito, grande Franz
Epic
Fucking historic
One ride of a hell
Wow. Saw this during the Olympics, but not the complete run since. Good job digging this up! Insane skiing.
Looks like an altercation in the finish area. What was that about?
Strafing the line between skiing and falling with style 🙂
When skiing was worth watching.
It’s still worth watching to me. Schwarz, Odermatt, Kilde, Kristoffersen, etc. are all incredible skiers. To each their own I guess.
Which ski station was this? Which run/trail?
Patscherkofel Innsbruck Tirol Austria
the condition of the run was horrible. Just as sketchy as the technique which had him flailing off every jump