Obergurgl-Hochgurgl is Proud to Support Slalom Ace Dave Ryding

From now on, Dave Ryding will ski under the aegis of the Diamond of the Alps and the British star will be most welcome here. After all, the UK is the resort’s second most important market. In winter 2016/17, 143,000 overnight stays were booked by tourists from the UK, which accounted for 23 per cent of the total number of tourists from various nations in Obergurgl-Hochgurgl. In spite of Brexit, the number of regular guests from the island kingdom grew by 6.5 per cent. “We have been welcoming British tourists here for over 100 years and it is our great pleasure to support Great Britain’s best home for an Olympic medal in skiing,” explained Lukas Scheiber, Marketing Director of Ötztal Tourismus. Scheiber considers the partnership to be an ideal opportunity to strengthen the resort’s marketing presence in the United Kingdom: “This principal sponsoring initiative will allow us to elevate our profile in the UK. Collaborating with such a top athlete, who is now very well known amongst ski-loving Britons, will only serve to increase our media presence in this key market.” 

Plastic mats instead of natural snow, far from any real ski slopes: This doesn’t sound like a recipe for nurturing a career in Alpine skiing. And yet the ability to be successful in spite of such challenges is what makes Rydings success story so compelling. In January, the repeat British Champion took second place in slalom in Kitzbühel and just weeks ago in Levi he was leading at half time before a heart-breaking crash ended his hopes. Meanwhile, the 31-year-old has long since made peace with his status as an outsider in the competition. Thanks to this new partnership, which is as fresh as the powder of Obergurgl-Hochgurgl, the slalom specialist now has a new proving ground. “He is currently one of the very best and it has been quite some time since Great Britain boasted an athlete of his calibre. We’re proud to support him and to offer fantastic training possibilities. Dave is now welcome in Obergurgl-Hochgurgl as often as he likes,” said Alban Scheiber, CEO of Hochgurgl cableways. 

Two skiing aces, Dave Ryding from Great Britain and Fritz Dopfer from Germany, are now racing under the aegis of Obergurgl-Hochgurgl! Fans will also profit from double the fun! “Similar to the event we had with Dopfer, we look forward to having a meet-and-greet with our latest key personality here on-site and fans will have the opportunity to meet their ski idol in a relaxed atmosphere,” emphasised Lukas Scheiber. In addition, Scheiber also looks forward to joint appearances in the star’s home country. 

More information: obergurgl.com