2012 Biathlon World Cup in Ruhpolding
Friday, 30-Dec-2011Biathlon, one of the most exciting, most engaging winter sports, is now a real crowd puller. So, when the world‘s elite biathletes battle it out in Ruhpolding from 1 to 11 March 2012, the atmosphere
will be electric, with thousands of spectators spurring them on along the course and tension rising in the shooting range.
Second Ski World Cup at Munich’s Olympic Park
Friday, 30-Dec-2011On 1 January 2012, the top 16 men and women skiers in the World Cup standings will gather for a second showdown on the piste (a mere 200 metres) on the north side of Munich’s Olympic Hill.
This is after 25,000 visitors were captivated by tense floodlit duels, man v. man and woman v. woman, and a host of exciting events at the start of 2011.
Spectators attending in 2012 can expect even more thrills, because in addition to the FIS Ski World Cup event highlights, there‘ll be plenty of action at the third Winter Sports Festival (30 December to 1 January). As befits this prestigious sporting extravaganza, fans will enjoy perfect views of the contest and the Olympic Lake will be drained in order to maximise the space.
In the parallel slalom, a mere stone’s throw from the tent-roofed Olympic Stadium, there can only be one winner. Tension reigns until the very last moment when the final battle is over between the two remaining athletes; the first to cross the line picks up 100 precious World Cup points.
Olympiapark München
Germany’s first sneaker museum in Cologne
Friday, 30-Dec-2011Sneakers or trainers: almost everyone owns at least one pair and some even collect them.
Originally known by names that reflected their purpose, like ‘gym shoes’ or ‘sports shoes’, they were designed for running and playing basketball or tennis; today they‘re objects of desire. Now they
come in an incredible range of styles, benefit from awesome innovations in technology and command steep prices.
The whole sneaker culture began when certain styles were adapted by subcultures like hip-hop and skateboarding – a remarkable development that has led to the foundation of Germany’s first sneaker museum, which since May has been presenting themed exhibitions of particularly rare or popular styles.
There is even a sneaker altar where visitors can worship the holy grail of sneaker history – the original Air Jordan I of 1985 or an Air Max prototype that never went on sale, of which there are only three pairs in the world.
Information
Sneakermuseum
Jülicher Strasse 14
50674 Cologne
http://www.sneakermuseum.de/
60th Four Hills Tournament 2011/12 in Garmisch and Oberstdorf
Thursday, 29-Dec-2011There’ll be plenty of drama at the ski jumping event in Oberstdorf on 29 and 30 December – the first competition in the 60th Four Hills Tournament – because contestants will be staking their
claim to overall victory right from the off.
As has happened before in the Ski Jumping World Cup, and not only in the two previous years, whoever wins this first round of the Four Hills Tournament in the Allgäu has gone on to win the most coveted title in ski jumping. This winter, organisers are again expecting over 30,000 spectators from around the globe to attend the opening event and turn Oberstdorf’s Erdinger Arena into a cauldron of noise.
After the season‘s second ski jumping competition in Germany, the New Year’s Ski Jumping in Garmisch-Partenkirchen on 31 December and 1 January, it will then be clear who will travel to Innsbruck in the number 1 spot before the medals are decided in Bischofshofen. Will Switzerland‘s Simon Amann post his first tournament win, or will victory fall to Germany’s Severin Freund?