On the second day of the Winter Olympics, an unexpected visitor sent shockwaves through the Austria Tirol House in Sochi. Media interest was already at a peak with the celebration of Matthias Mayer’s Gold medal in the Men’s Downhill, when it was further intensified by the arrival of Russian President, Vladimir Putin, at the Austria Tirol House. Ischgl’s ‘Relax, if you can….’ advertising slogan could not be more fitting during this extraordinary evening showcasing the Tirolean lifestyle capital of the Alps.
There was certainly no time to relax on day 2 of the Winter Olympics in Sochi. Pulses were already racing in the morning watching the thrill of the Men’s Downhill. Despite not being among the favourites to win, Austrian Matthias Mayer gave it his all and taking every risk raced with maximum self-confidence to secure the Gold Medal. This amazing Olympic victory is one that the young 23 year old will never forget.
“It feels like a complete dream and it won’t sink in until much later” he said on the stage at the Austria Tirol House surrounded by cameras and the media. His overjoyed mother Margaret revealed, “Matthias wore the number 11 and I was sitting in seat number 11. It was a good omen!”
Mayer was greeted with heartfelt congratulations by the representatives of Ischgl, who were the hosts of the evening, as well as by Karl Stoss, President of the Austrian Olympic Committee and Josef Margreiter, CEO of the Tirol Tourist Board. Alfons Parth, Chairman of the Ischgl Tourist Board, took the opportunity to invite the new golden boy to Ischgl and was delighted by Mayer’s spontaneous reaction, “I’ve been to Ischgl many times already with my friends on holiday – in fact, I’d love to go back for the Robbie Williams concert!”. (Robbie Williams will play the Top of the Mountain Concert in Ischgl on 3rd May 2014)
Current and former Olympic Downhill heroes met at the Austria House Tirol. Also in the media spotlight was Egon Zimmermann, who brought Olympic Gold to Austria 50 years ago at the Men’s Downhill in Innsbruck in 1964. Other high-profile guests, including Jake Burton, founder of Burton Snowboards, and the Olympic champion from Zillertal, Leonhard Stock, were among the well-wishers at the Austria Tirol House.
Earlier in the evening, the Tirolean biathlete Dominik Landertinger had drawn a crowd at the Austria Tirol House. His silver medal on the first day of the Games moved the whole nation and ensured a sensational Olympic opener for the Austrians.
After all the sporting glory there was a further sensation in store as the Russian President, Vladimir Putin, turned up at the Austria Tirol House on the second day of the Olympic Games in Sochi. It is well-documented that Putin is a long-time friend of the Tirolean ski champion, Karl Schranz, and the Tirol region. The President was greeted with traditional Zillertal folk music and offered local delicacies as he raised a glass of schnapps and toasted “to Tirol”. He offered his congratulations on the Austrian victories and said, “May the success continue for your country”.
It was the first national hospitality house that Putin has visited as part of the Winter Olympics. One of Austria’s Top Managers, Sigi Wolf, who has worked in Russia with Oleg Deripaska, praised the visit as a friendly gesture to emphasise continued good relations between Russia and Austria.
With a successful start to the Games, together with Putin’s visit and large doses of Tirolean hospitality, the Austria House Tirol has established itself as a much sought-after international networking platform for sports, media and businesses alike. This isn’t just measured by the crowds but by the media too who have taken note that the Austria Tirol House is in the running for Olympic Gold for the discipline of ‘hospitality’.
