The White Ring (ski circuit)

The White Ring (German: Der Weiße Ring) is a ski circuit and ski race in the area of Lech am Arlberg, Vorarlberg (Austria). It is located in the Ski Arlberg ski resort. With 22 km, it is the longest ski round trip in the world. It features 5,500 m of altitude difference. The circuit comprises 5 downhill runs, 6 lifts, piste ascents and a cross-country ski run.[1]

This sign is located at the mountain station of the Rüfikopfbahn.

The original idea for the ski circuit stems from Vorarlberg ski pioneer Sepp Bildstein. The realisation began with the commissioning of the first drag lift in the winter of 1940/41.[2]

The course
Stage Pistes / lifts Length Altitude
1 Rüfikopfbahn 2.131 890
2 38a Steinmännle 1.634 366
3 Schüttbodenlift 590 155
4 38a Schüttboden – Zürs 1.607 248
5 Trittalpbahn 920 288
6 3a Hexenboden Direkte 1.798 466
7a Seekopfbahn 1.548 514
7b Zürserseebahn 1.587 491
8 Madlochbahn 1.316 294
9 33 Madloch – Zug 4.187 954
10 Zugerbergbahn 1.460 615
11 Balmengratlift 222 5
12 34 Kriegeralpe – Petersboden – Oberlech – Lech 4.236 644
In total 21.688 5.439

The race

For the 50th anniversary of the ski circuit, the first White Ring ski race was held in the 2005/2006 season. 1,000 skiers participated in the event.[3] The course record is 44:10:75 minutes and held since 2010 by Markus Weiskopf.[4]

In 2023 the race was cancelled due to heavy snowfall.[5] The next White Ring ski race will take place on 13 January 2024.[6]

Speed Race

Two days before of the actual race, all racers are invited to test their speed. Among the 1,000 participants, the first 100 race numbers are awarded to the 100 fastest athletes. Spectators watch the racers along the 2 km track and at the finish in Zürs.[7][8]

References
  1. "Der Weiße Ring – Die Runde | Lech Zürs am Arlberg". Lech Zürs. Retrieved 2020-04-13.
  2. West, Ski Arlberg, Pool. "The White Ring". Ski Arlberg, Pool West. Retrieved 2019-08-22.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  3. "Skiing the "White Ring"". Leo Trippi. 2020-03-06. Retrieved 2020-04-13.
  4. "Vorarlberger triumphieren beim "Weißen Ring"". vorarlberg.orf.at (in German). 2017-01-21. Retrieved 2019-08-22.
  5. Ring, Der Weiße. "Fotos 2023". Der Weiße Ring (in German). Retrieved 2023-09-19.
  6. Ring, Der Weiße. "Der Weiße Ring - Das Rennen". Der Weiße Ring (in German). Retrieved 2022-08-04.
  7. "The White Ring - The Speed Race | Lech Zürs am Arlberg". Lech Zürs. Retrieved 2020-04-13.
  8. "Skiing the "White Ring"". Leo Trippi. 2020-03-06. Retrieved 2020-04-13.
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