The track that was supposed to change ski jumping

Peter Riedel was convinced: It has to be better.

So he began to work with partners from industry and sport on a completely new solution. The idea was as simple as it was revolutionary: Summer and winter tracks should be united in a single system for the first time. No more extensive conversions, no more compromises.

In 2005 Peter Riedel first presented his concept to the Scientific Committee of the German Ski Association. The reaction was remarkable.

“If it works, it will be the best system in the world.” – DSV national coach Dietrich Kampf, 2005

Countless development hours, tests and prototypes followed. In Pöhla, a first test facility was created where the new technology was tested under real conditions. The world premiere took place there in 2007. What had started as an idea on a drawing board had become a functioning take-off track.

What at first seemed like an experiment quickly developed into an innovation with international attention. Soon afterwards the Ski-Line was installed on World Cup hills. Trondheim was the first facility equipped with the new system; Garmisch followed shortly thereafter.

When in December 2008 the world cup’s first test of fire took place in Trondheim, the entire field of ski jumping experts agreed:

“A cooling system is revolutionizing ski jumping.” – Süddeutsche Zeitung, 2007

Today cooled take-off tracks are standard on many hills around the world. What began as a bold idea from an engineer from the Ore Mountains has evolved into an international technological standard. Today Peter Riedel take-off tracks are found on 127 hills worldwide.

And that is exactly why the Ski-Line is one of the most important chapters in our company history.