Sports Events in Austria

The Diedamskopf is a 2090 meter high top

Die Forschung ist heute der Auffassung, dass der Bregenzerwald noch bis ins 10. Jhdt. ein unbesiedelter Urwald war. Die Besiedelung erfolgte nicht kurzfristig, sondern dauerte durch das ganze Mittelalter. Von den Dörfern des Hinterbregenzerwaldes wurden die heutigen Ortschaften Au und Schoppernau zuletzt dauernd besiedelt, wenn auch die waldreiche Gegend schon in früheren Zeiten Jäger angezogen hatte. Noch vor 700 Jahren hatten die Grafen von Montfort in Au ein Jagdhaus, in den Urkunden als "Jaghusen in den Owen" bezeichnet. Nach der ältesten vorhandenen kirchlichen Aufzeichnung hatte Jaghausen - heute Au - bereits 1372 eine Kapelle mit Friedhof. Erst 1390 trennte sich Au von der Mutterpfarre Reuthe bei Bezau.

Es darf angenommen werden, dass sich die ersten Siedler wesentlich früher niedergelassen hatten. Aus den Kirchenbauten und Erweiterungen ist zu schließen, dass die Bevölkerung der Pfarrei - damals waren Au und Schoppernau eine Pfarre - im 14. und 15. Jhdt. beachtlich zunahm. Beide Orte waren von jeher wirtschaftlich eng miteinander verbunden, und die geschichtliche Entwicklung verlief sehr ähnlich. Das Gebiet von Schoppernau mag wohl anfänglich von den Landnehmern als Schafweide benützt worden sein. Daher stammt zweifelsohne auch der Name Schoppernau. "Schappernouw" = Schafau. Die für die damaligen Verhältnisse weite Entfernung und die Schneeverhältnisse im Winter erschwerten den Bewohnern in Schoppernau den Besuch von Gottesdiensten an Sonn- und Feiertagen. Nicht selten starben Kranke ohne die letzte Wegzehrung und Kinder ohne Taufe.

It is impossible to write down the feeling, when you can be in one minute under and above the water... and water everywhere - on you, and in the boat ! Nice moments in my memory stays till today !

Equipment: In Austria the instructor you'll give everything - from clothes to paddles - you have only to pay !

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Bungy jumping from Europabrücke Bridge (Europe's Bridge) which is 192 meter high from the bottom of the valley, is only for those who are brave and courage enough to jump! Europabrücke Bridge is located just several kilometers south of the city of Innsbruck. You park your vehicles after the bridge at the rest station on the right if you travel from Innsbruck to northern Italy. Europabrücke Bridge is among the highest five bungy jumping locations in the world as described in the website below. It was at one time the highest bridge in Europe and was constructed between 1959 and 1963.

Equipment: Equipment is not required as they will provide you with the necessary equipment. Nevertheless please wear appropriate clothing to survive the jump such as jeans and t-shirts.

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after a short briefing, you start with a scenic flight for about 20 minutes... the aeroplane climbs and climbs... up to 14.ooo feet... the door of the aircraft opens.... you stop breathing and.. jump out(!).... after a few seconds you start breathing again.... you are flying like a bird... you start smiling (and you won't stop for the upcoming 3 days ;) ).... 60 seconds freefall... the parachute opens and you enjoy 5 minutes flying around till you have a safe landing... have fun! blue skies...

Equipment: t-shirt, short and a smile in your face...

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Wiener Eistraum is an annual event - all of the square between the Burgtheater and Rathaus / Town Hall plus a big part of the surrounding park will be dedicated as a large place for scating. There is music playing outside and also inside various restaurant-tents. It is also great to watch this event on a cold day, while sipping some hot gluehwein. The icetracks are frozen by technical means, so a short time of warmer weather would not necessarily mean that the Wiener Eistraum would not take place !
This year it started Jan. 25th
09.00a.m.-04.00p.m. you pay 3,50 / children 2,50 / families 8,50
04.00p.m.-11.00p.m. the prices are : 5,00 / 4,00 / 13,- Euros

Equipment: Bring your own equipment or simply rent it there against a small fee. Even the toilets may be reached with your scates on !!
The fee for renting a pair of scating-shoes was 6,50 Euros in 2010 (4,00 Euros for children)

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This is a lot of fun, when you come to Vienna in wintertime, mainly in the advent, the 4 weeks before X-mas-day. Inside the MQ (Museums Quartier) in Vienna you will find a big variety of winter-activities such as skating or "Eisstock-schiessen" that you will see in my main picture. This is quite a popular sport in the alpine regions of Austria and Germany and you will have to try to get your "stick" as close as possible to another stick that is placed at the end of the track. Several players try to do so and each of them also has the possibility to push the "target-stick" and the other sticks away from its original position and so the game could be ended completly as a surprise. Mostly it is played by 2 teams fighting against each other

Equipment: You get all of the equipment there, you simply should have shoes that are not extremely slippery on the ice.

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One of the most popular cycling trails in Europe, the Donauradweg (Danube bike trail) allows to cross Austria along the entire course of the river through this country. A perfect relaxed ride to discover large and small towns in a splendid, clean and friendly environment.
From Braunau am Inn we cycled the Inn Valley to Passau, Germany, then along the Danube. Most fellow riders reach beautiful Vienna and return by train from there but we kept rolling up to Budapest, Hungary.
This ride is particularly family-friendly for the road is not shared with motor vehicles except when visiting cities. Even in this case, Austrian drivers are concerned about safety and show great general respect for the vulnerable two-wheelers.
Ferry services are a fun way to cross the river in several points.
"As flat as a pancake" best describes this route, except for a couple of hills before Esztergom.

For details, please see the dedicated Braunau to Budapest album.

Equipment: If you can't bring your own, rental bikes are available. An option is also to rely of one among several companies that offer organized tours, packages can include bikes in addition to accommodation and luggage transportation from point to point. Such bicycles are "hybrid" type equipped with small side bags for the personal daily needs. If you bring your own, any type of machine will do. It's paved all the way. Repair shops are present in every little town.
Although every tourist information office has free publications with comprehensive maps, a specific guide book is recommended to those who want to explore the territory without missing interesting locations.
Wearing a helmet is always recommended and it's probably mandatory for kids under a certain age. Bring a lock even if it seems that theft is not much popular in this part of the world.
Summer months can be rainy, but make sure to keep some sunscreen in the pockets of your rain gear!

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It goes without saying that some of the finest skiing in the world can be found in the Austrian alps. The country has hosted two winter Olympiads (1964 and 1976), and has a legitimate claim to being THE headquarters for downhill skiing. Even thirty years after his gold medal run in Innsbruck, Franz Klammer remains a national hero.

ONE NOTE FOR NORTH AMERICAN SKIERS... Most of the lifts in these Austria villages are the t-lift style, where you use the t to pull you up the mountain ON your skis. Chair lifts are the exception, not the rule. And, if you're unfamiliar with using t-lifts, be sure to line up on the right side. The person on the left has to handle getting rid of the t at the end, and it's an acquired skill. :) (Not impossible to acquire, though, as this Florida boy figured it out pretty quickly)

Equipment: You can fine excellent skiing equipment for sale all over Austria. I wouldn't describe the prices as a bargain, but if you need expert advice on fit, style of skis and such, then Austria is a darned good place to find it.