Marcel Hirscher drives during the final day of the Audi Quattro #SuperQ on January 20, 2016 in Kitzbuehel, Austria. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images for Audi)
. world ski news : Kitzbühel: Sports stars enthralled by Audi quattro #SuperQ - 21 January 2016 - 14:33
- Duels on snow and ice with 580-hp Audi S1 cars
- Slalom ace Kristoffersen wins in team with MotoGP star Dovizioso
- Final participant Felix Neureuther: “An incredible experience”
Ingolstadt/Kitzbühel, January 20, 2016 – Audi ushered in the famous Hahnenkamm weekend in Kitzbühel (Austria) with a new discipline. At the Audi quattro #SuperQ that was held for the first time, the leader of the Slalom World Cup, Henrik Kristoffersen (Norway), and MotoGP star Andrea Dovizioso (Italy) triumphed on Wednesday.
Marcel Hirscher drives during the final day of the Audi Quattro #SuperQ on January 20, 2016 in Kitzbuehel, Austria. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images for Audi)
Four skiing aces and four other professional athletes accepted the challenge of the two-time DTM Champion Mattias Ekström to test his near-580-hp Audi S1 EKS RX quattro from the FIA World Rallycross Championship before the Hahnenkamm ski races. Two 367-hp Audi RS 3 Sportback* cars were available as well for fast laps on a course of snow and ice specifically prepared by Audi for this purpose. Two athletes each formed a team.
Instructed by the two Swedish racing pros Mattias Ekström and Edward Sandström the sports stars battled each other and impressed initiator Ekström as well: “I was surprised to see how quickly these guys learned and the high level they drove on. However, sitting next to them in the passenger’s seat accelerated my heart rate pretty much.”
Henrik Kristoffersen drives during the final day of the Audi Quattro #SuperQ on January 20, 2016 in Kitzbuehel, Austria. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images for Audi)
In the finale of the Audi quattro #SuperQ, Henrik Kristoffersen and Andrea Dovizioso won by a narrow margin against slalom star Felix Neureuther (Germany) and Enduro rider Tadeusz B?a?usiak (Poland). In the duel of the ski stars, Neureuther, following a mistake by Kristoffersen, was in front at the last gate, as was Dovizisoso among the motor racers. In the crucial shoot-out, the skiers were in the passenger seats of the race drivers. “That was scary,” said Kristoffersen. “Andrea accelerated when I’d have long started braking. All in all, it was a tremendous day that was huge fun. Driving such a car was an impressive experience. And it’s my first victory in Kitzbühel – maybe I’ll be able to repeat it in the slalom on Sunday.”
Similar enthusiasm was expressed by Felix Neureuther, who in the semi-final won against his continuous Austrian rival Marcel Hirscher. “I already had the opportunity to try out the S1 here last year,” said the German. “But racing each other in such cars is awesome – especially on a track where you can go flat-out. It was an incredible experience that I’m very thankful for to Mattias (Ekström) and Audi. I hope there’ll be a SuperQ every year from now on!”
Felix Neureuther drives during the final day of the Audi Quattro #SuperQ on January 20, 2016 in Kitzbuehel, Austria. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images for Audi)
For the two ski stars Marcel Hirscher (Austria) and Ted Ligety (USA), freestyler Jon Olsson (Sweden) and street trial pro Danny MacAskill (Great Britain) the #SuperQ ended as early as in the semi-final. In spite of this, they all were obviously equally thrilled about this new discipline. “I could do that every day,” said Jon Olsson.
Press Release
AUDI
Thu, January 21, 2016
The winning team Andrea Dovizioso and Henrik Kristoffersen pose with the trophy after the final day of the Audi Quattro #SuperQ on January 20, 2016 in Kitzbuehel, Austria. (Photo by Lars Baron/Getty Images for Audi)