First Harreither Skiing Day
On Wednesday 28 January, the company Harreither from Gaflenz invited its austrian system partners to spend a skiing day together on the Forsteralm. As a matter of course, an expert for downhill had to be present there too. In the morning, Thomas Sykora gave beginners as well as supposed pros good advice on how to cut a fine figure in the first Harreither Fun Race.
Former slalom ace Thomas Sykora and the Harreither partners, preparing for the race.
Heavy snowfalls did not keep the Harreither partners from coming to the Forsterau.
During the race, adrenalin levels rose.
No easy task: Put the ball in the goal – no matter how.
In the finish area, the presenter Mag. Gerhard Sengstschmid asked the racers about the course of their race.
Good spirits in the finish area.
Photograph of the winners (left to right): Dr. Raimund Harreither, second Uwe Morawetz (company Wurm), Thomas Sykora, winner Michaela Ehrentraud (company Denk), Thomas Harreither and third Harald Berger (company Glatz).
About 120 participants from the Harreither Group did not want to miss this unforgettable day and partly put up with a long journey in order to take part in the first Harreither skiing day. After arrival at the alpine hut Forsteralm, the Harreither partners were given initial organisational information. Then finally they went to the racing track in groups together with the “skiing instructors” Thomas Sykora, Oliver Dreier, Dr. Gerhard Zallinger, Dr. Willi Taibon and Rainer Rohregger. The system partners had about two hours in order to get accustomed to the conditions on the racing track and the heavy snowfall. Some even racked their brains about the right wax mix for the race. This was not necessary because the race itself was not about the best time. The average time was calculated from all times, and the racer who came closest to this time was the winner. However, this would not have been a Harreither race if there had not been a special task to perform. After half the race, the participants had to take off their skis and to shoot a football in small goal. This is no easy task, as the long-standing partner of Harreither, Ing. Günter Glatz, had to realise: “It was more difficult to manage a straight shoot with skiing boots on than I had imagined. But it was really fun to see how many developed their own techniques, with our without skis!" Naturally great differences in the racing times resulted from that.
Lady outperforms the predominantly male competitors
So the racing conditions were tailored to the female racers - average racing speed combined with dexterity. Michaela Ehrentraud from the partner company Denk in Etsdorf secured the top place on the victory rostrum and was awarded a gigantic cup by the former slalom ace Thomas Sykora. Uwe Morawetz from the company Wurm came second, and Harald Berger from the plumbing firm Glatz came third, and these were also rewarded with a cup in the ski hut Forsterau. After a traditional dinner, all Harreither partners celebrated a successful and, above all, funny day. The “Casanovas” were responsible for musical entertainment and created a real après-ski party atmosphere in the Forsterau. And several race participants obtained insider information from Thomas Sykora regarding the ongoing Ski World Cup. Between the lines, managing director Dr. Raimund Harreither hinted at a continuation of this event in the next year: “Human relations and emotions characterise the selective distribution of the company Harreither. And this skiing day stirred up exactly this kind of emotions in all our partners. Everybody had fun, but everybody was also fired by ambition regarding the win of the day. During the social get-together in the hut, we made new contacts and met old acquaintances. And this is how it should be in the Harreither Group."
