Happy Birthday Ski-Club Arlberg!

125 years of Ski Club Arlberg: a success story in skiing

On 3 January 2026, Ski Club Arlberg will celebrate a milestone birthday! The club can now look back with pride on 125 years of history. Founded in 1901 in St. Christoph, the Arlberg Ski Club has contributed significantly and actively to the development of skiing over the years – not least through its involvement in the founding of the Austrian and German Ski Associations – and is still considered an indispensable institution in snow sports today.

Founded 125 years ago – the birth of the Ski Club Arlberg

On 3 January 1901, a historic moment was recorded in the guest book of the hospice in St. Christoph with impressive words: the founding of the Ski Club Arlberg with the legendary founding motto: ‘Enchanted by nature, inspired by sport, imbued with the need to create a modest meeting place in the Arlberg for friends of this noble pastime, the excursionists involved in the impromptu gathering felt compelled to found the Ski Club Arlberg!’

The association was founded during a ski tour from St. Anton to St. Christoph am Arlberg. Seven visionary men and one woman – the daughter of the hospice owner – recognised early on the great potential of skiing for the Arlberg region. Carl Schuler was elected as the first chairman, supported by personalities such as Dr Adolf Rybiczka, Josef Schneider, Ferdinand Beil, Fritz Gerstel, Rudolf Schuler and Oswald and Lisl Trojer, whose family had close ties to the St. Christoph hospice. With this vision, they laid the foundation for one of the most traditional winter sports clubs in the Alps 125 years ago.

The ‘Arlberg Technique’: the foundation of skiing

An important legacy of the Ski Club is the ‘Arlberg Technique’ created by Hannes Schneider. This innovative method revolutionised the way skiing is taught and still forms the basis for skiing today. Thanks to this technique, countless beginners and advanced skiers have discovered the joy of skiing, often for the rest of their lives!

Events with tradition

The Arlberg Ski Club was and remains not only a pioneer in alpine skiing instruction, but also plays a key role in the development of major racing events. Historic competitions such as the Arlberg-Kandahar race – first held in 1928 – and the Madloch race were fixtures on the international racing calendar long before the introduction of the Alpine Ski World Cup.

A special milestone in the club's recent history was the 2001 Alpine Ski World Championships in St. Anton am Arlberg. The sporting and organisational experience gained there forms an important basis for the current preparations for the bid for the 2033 Alpine Ski World Championships and underlines the ambition to position the Arlberg as a stage for top-class international sport in the future.

Racing successes and medals

With 118 medals at the Olympic Games and World Championships, the Ski Club Arlberg has impressively demonstrated its dominance in racing and has produced more Olympic and world champions than any other club. These successes are the result of hard work, great passion and a strong community.

International members and youth development

With over 9,000 members from more than 60 countries, the Arlberg Ski Club connects a large community with the Arlberg region. In addition to its social tradition, one of the main concerns of the Arlberg Ski Club has always been its extensive work with young people and youth development. Every year, around 250 children from the Arlberg villages receive the necessary support and equipment here for a life full of enjoyment of skiing and snow sports.

An anniversary book and current successes

To mark its 125th anniversary, the new book ‘Ski Club Arlberg: History and People’ is being published, written by historian Christoph Thöny. This work offers a fascinating insight into the club's impressive history.

In the sporting arena, the SCA racers are making a decisive contribution to the anniversary year. Both Nina Ortlieb and Magdalena Egger have justified hopes of a place at the 2026 Olympic Games thanks to their performances to date. Olympic athlete Christian Borgnaes now competes for Denmark, but always under the flag of the Ski Club Arlberg. Leonie Zegg recently won her first European Cup downhill race, setting new standards for the coming season. But the SCA is not just about alpine racing: young athletes are also making their mark in alternative winter sports disciplines, such as Valentin Rainer and Jana Häusl in freeriding and Silvano Wolf in ski mountaineering. This impressively demonstrates the sporting diversity of the Ski Club Arlberg across all disciplines.

Conclusion

The Ski Club Arlberg looks back on a proud history and is ready for the future. With a strong focus on social tradition, broad youth development and top performance in racing, the club remains a central institution in international skiing.

125 years – an anniversary that brings people together

On 3 January 2026, the entire Ski Club Arlberg family worldwide will celebrate the 125th anniversary of their club. Members, athletes, partners and friends around the globe will raise a glass to the Ski Club Arlberg and share their connection to a unique community that has been bringing people together across national borders for generations. Throughout the anniversary year, there will be numerous 125th anniversary moments that highlight the history, present and future of the SCA. The highlight of the celebrations will be the official anniversary party during the general meeting on 19 September 2026 at the club's founding location in St. Christoph am Arlberg.

https://youtu.be/unoJeKQOhpk?si=TiBJGJc6Em-iSZiI

🎥 Video message from the SCA presidents

🎥 The new Ski-Club Arlberg Film

Here's to the next 125 years with a traditional ‘Ski Heil’!