The "Paul Ausserleitner" Hill

During the large hill competitions on the occasion of the Nordic World Ski Championships in 1999 in Ramsau, the "Paul Ausserleitner" Hill made ski history, when the German athletes Martin Schmitt and Sven Hannawald reached an unexpected double success. The dramatic team competition, in which the German team got the title before the teams of Japan and Austria despite two falls, made (above all German) spectators jump with joy.

Even in 1947, shortly after the Second World War, the "Hochkönig" Hill was erected at Laideregg, where the German Rudi Gehring set the hill record to 100 metres on 27/02/1949.

In the coming years, several improvements were made, such as the erection of a wooden construction for the take-off and the platform (1950). During training for the Ski Jumping event on Epiphany, the native athlete Paul Ausserleitner got injured so badly that he died on January 9, 1952. Since then, the hill at Laideregg bears his name.

In 1953, the facility was equipped with a wooden judges’ tower (19.10 metres), and ten years later, the wooden construction described above was replaced by an earth bank for the platform and a concrete take-off. In 1972, a new judges’ tower made of reinforced concrete was erected, which was demolished last year and replaced by a new construction.

The "hanging" outrun gave the Paul Ausserleitner Hill a special characteristic, since the territory was inclined to the right (as seen from the view of an athlete). By further building activities, the facility, which is still described as a natural hill, was modernised. In 1982, the landing incline was changed to 37 degrees and the take-off was shortened by 5 metres. The inrun, which had been adapted to the natural territory until then, was equipped with a tower of wood and reinforced concrete and got a steeper incline of 27 degrees.

In 1991, the outrun was straightened, the facility was adapted to the FIS regulations and the calculation point was extended to 120 metres. The natural stadium was changed into a ski stadium with natural tribunes, which was named "Sepp Bradl Stadium".

In connection with the large hill competitions during the Nordic World Ski Championships in 1999, the stadium was in 1998 complemented with an organisation and sub-press centre as well as a lift.
In 2000, the judges’ tower was demolished and replaced by a modern new building.
At a cost of 4.2 million Euros, the hill was again reconstructed in 2003 with a calculation point of 125 metres. The stadium was also equipped with a floodlight installation.