The FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in Schladming 2013 will be featuring a spectacular construction right at the finish line of the brand-new Planai stadium.
The Austrian Ski Association and voestalpine presented their unique cooperation on Friday, 4th November. The extraordinary architectural construction for the Planai finish area is called voestalpine Sky Gate and will be a bow under which the athletes will pass just before they cross the finish line.
The entire Schladming 2013 project is characterized by major construction projects, including the new subterranean service levels underneath the re-constructed finish area and new Planai cable ways. The official opening of the voestalpine Sky Gate will take place the day before the Audi FIS Ski World Cup Night Race in Schladming on 24th January 2012, and it will also be tested during the Audi FIS Ski World Cup Finals 2012 in Schladming in March 2012.
Prof. Peter Schröcksnadel, President of the Austrian Ski Association commented: "We are proud to work together with one of the strongest and most innovative companies in Austria for this cooperation. This architecturally unique symbol will become a true landmark for Schladming already before the World Championships and will remain so long thereafter."
Wolfgang Eder, Chairman of the Board of voestalpine AG added: "This cooperation for Schaldming 2013, a major international event, is something special for us as an international company with Austrian roots. This impressive object will truly demonstrate the special aesthetics of steal."
Gernot Ritter, Architect of the Sky Gate summarized: "The construction displays the extraordinary possibilities of steel as material. The building is only fixed on one side and reaches the height of 35m at its highest point. The construction required a total of 890 meters of steel tube."
