The Volunteers

Everyone gives their all

Admittedly, when I applied for a volunteer position last year after the World Cup final, I thought to myself: Who would take a "rookie" who has been retired for 11 years, has writing experience only in football, and wants to join the biggest Austrian skiing event of the decade? Now, on the last day of this incredible event in Saalbach 2025, I can hardly believe that this amazing time has already come to an end—and passed far too quickly. As I reflect on the experience, my insights are drawn from numerous conversations with colleagues, fans, and everyday people like you and me.

A brief introduction:

My name is Friedl Schweinhammer from Gänserndorf. I have always had a passion for German and history. My hobbies include reading and word games. At the age of 73, I had the opportunity to support the editorial team at the World Ski Championships.

Friedl Schweinhammer

Communication and Fun Factor

Nowhere else do you get to know people as quickly as in these 14 days. In the entire Glemmtal region, using first names is a given—right from day one, it was all about teamwork and camaraderie.

Our media crew was a colorful mix: international and national, young and old. While our work was planned, it was merely a framework—what eventually came out often looked quite different but still turned out to be something worth seeing.

Through our conversations with athletes, coaches, volunteers, staff, and other personalities, we met incredible and down-to-earth people: Ernst, the gate judge from 1991; Rudi, the priest with a passion for skiing; Michael, the SN sports journalist with no expiration date; Christof, the Kronen Zeitung photographer with a radar eye for the perfect shot—and many more with whom we shared a quick chat.

While waiting in line for coffee, I joked around with an unshaven man who looked strikingly like "Kloppo" (Jürgen Klopp). Where else does something like that happen? Encounters like these only take place at major events.

Cross-Border Support Around the Clock

On Wednesday, at the Volunteers’ Party in the Goaßstall, I met a quartet from Schneizlreuth. For their “boss,” it was a given to stand by the piste and take care of his sector. The fact that he managed to restore a direction gate—knocked down by Lindsey Vonn in a moment of exuberance—back to working order within 30 seconds filled him with satisfaction. His motivation was simple: "We have to stick together in this valley."

What stuck with me to this day is how a Bavarian and a Pinzgau community share such a strong common ground: This breathtaking landscape means more than a national border—you simply can’t make that up!

Staying on the slopes: On the evening before the men's giant slalom, it started snowing. While snowfall is generally a joy for skiers, it poses a challenge for racers due to uneven conditions. Hundreds of helpers, especially volunteers, took on the challenge of the ever-growing white splendor, working tirelessly through the night to create ideal race conditions.

Their reward? Satisfaction, praise from all sides, and a spectacular victory by Raphael Haaser with start number 22—enough said! And when they finally boarded the shuttle or staff bus back to their quarters, their minds were already on the next day—because rest only comes after the final race.

Volunteers on track

Happy faces

Shuttle Service

Everyone is happy

All Together

Just like these heroes of the night, all 1.400 volunteers contribute their puzzle pieces to make the World Championships a success—whether in gastronomy, guest services, infrastructure, organization, security and control, transportation, media, communication, or marketing. With heart and soul, they are fully committed to the Saalbach 2025 World Championships until the grande finale—sometimes on the sidelines, mostly in the thick of it, and occasionally even up close with the athletes. All in all, they are part of an unforgettable event!

Thank you, Saalbach, for allowing me to experience this spectacle—even at my age.

— Friedl, 73, from Gänserndorf