Details

160 days had passed since one of Fieberbrunn’s greatest sporting sons achieved his victory on the Ganslern slope. On Saturday, Manuel Feller was finally able to receive his personalized Hahnenkamm gondola.
“It was a childhood dream that I worked on for a long time to make come true,” Feller said.
Around 400 fans, friends, and family members came to honor the technical specialist on Saturday afternoon.
“The previous attendance record for a gondola presentation was Marco Odermatt’s, with 220 guests,” Huber recalled.
After all, it is not every day that an athlete from the Kitzbühel district wins a race in Kitzbühel. The last person to do so before Feller was Hansi Hinterseer in 1974.
For Kitzbühel mayor Klaus Winkler, however, the Fieberbrunn native is also “a local hero in Kitzbühel.”
Just how much the 33-year-old’s home victory meant to him was evident from the winner’s gams (chamois trophy). It had not survived January’s celebrations unscathed and had to be “orthopedically repaired.” Therefore, Feller was presented with it once again on Saturday.
“But be careful—it’s still fragile,” Winkler joked.
Until his victory, the Ganslern slope had been anything but Feller’s favorite hill. He recalled slipping at the entrance to the steep section during a district youth race:
“Back then, Ernst Hinterseer helped me get back into my skis. Thank you for that—otherwise I’d probably still be lying up there today,”
Feller said, addressing the 94-year-old Olympic champion from 1960, who had also attended the ceremony.
Race director Mario Mittermayer-Weinhandl fondly remembered the young Feller:
“Manu, I’ve known you since you were a junior. You never backed off—whether things weren’t going well, your body was hurting, or there were other distractions. That’s why you not only deserve this gondola, but also great respect.”
Celebrating alongside him were not only his grandmother and father, but also his wife Selina and their children Lio and Laila.
Anton Bodner, CEO of Bergbahn Kitzbühel, was visibly moved:
“This is the most beautiful and emotional gondola presentation of recent years. Your victory was a gift to all of us.”
Mike Mayr-Reisch from Kitzbühel Tourism thanked Feller
“for the message you send for our region. You are an inspiration to young people.”
For Feller, the day was especially meaningful because it allowed him to give something back to his supporters:
“It’s wonderful that I can share my victory on the Ganslern today with so many loved ones, my friends, and my family. During the season there is far too little time for that. Successes are only truly special when I can share them with someone.”
And share they did. At the start house on the Hahnenkamm, the celebration was in full swing—even a DJ was brought in.
“My fan club needs one,” Feller said with a smile.
As for his sporting ambitions, the slalom star still has several goals:
“I want to be able to ski without pain and continue enjoying the sport. At the 2027 World Championships, a medal is naturally always a goal. And now that I’ve won Adelboden, Wengen, and Kitzbühel, the only one missing is Schladming. Winning the ‘Big Four’ would be a pretty cool achievement.”

Photo Credit: alpinguin