Kitzbühel awards a record prize money

Prize money in Alpine skiing is set to reach new heights in the upcoming World Cup season as the winners of the classic downhill and slalom in Kitzbühel in January will both receive 100,000 euros which is a record for a single race.

The organizers of the traditional Hahnenkamm races announced that they have raised their total prize fund from last season 25 per cent to 725,000 euros to mark the 80th anniversary of the event.

"We don't want to invest the budget for the 80th Hahnenkamm races into a jubilee party, but the local ski club prefers to set an example for the athletes," said the chief organizer,Michael Huber.

The prize money is almost twice as high after the recent increase as at comparable World Cup events in the Alpine skiing World Cup and it’s not just about the winner but the second and the third will receive respectively 50k and 25k. For the SuperG race the prize money will be respectively 68,500, 34,250, 17,100 euros for the podium.

In addition, 20,000 euros will be distributed for the International Junior Race for the promotion of the team.