Dave Ryding Gets His Own Gondola in Kitzbuhel

27th May 2022

Last modified on May 31st, 2022

Every winner of a Hahnenkamm World Cup Race in Austria gets a gondola named after them. Now it is the turn of a British ski racer. Step forward The Rocket. UPDATED

Dave ‘The Rocket’ Ryding was presented with his own gondola at a special ceremony at the Hahnenkamm lift in Kitzbühel in the Tirol on Friday, 27th May 2022.

“An incredible day, beyond a dream!” said Dave.

After the ascent to the top station, the gondola was presented and it will now transport skiers and snowboarders up the mountain.

Image c/o Kitzbühel Tourisme

The former GB ski racer, Chemmy Alcott, was among those invited.

Having a little peak. Momentous occasion celebrating a history win. 22/01/22 @daveryding Kitz SL victory. Fame, fortune and a gondola! 😉 pic.twitter.com/IkRRADK6Tn
— Chemmy Alcott OLY (@ChemmySki) May 27, 2022

After the ceremonies and speeches the assembled group had a celebration with fish & chips at the Hahnenkamm-Starthaus.

Then the afterparty for all British fans in Kitzbühel started in the evening at “The London Pub” to mark the special occasion.

It comes four months after the famous victory.

Ryding became slalom winner on the Ganslern slope in a memorable slalom in January 2022, during heavy snow.

We reported on it at the time:

It’s World Cup Victory for Dave Ryding

There has been some reaction from our readers over on the PlanetSKI Facebook page:

Mark Cocker – So we’ll deserved. We’ll done Dave.

Bulan R. Pawliczek – …more than deserved !

June Partington – So much deserved xx well done

Sue Goodworth – Well done

Alison Hodge – Excellent!

It is 85 years after the last British victory in the Hahnenkamm races – the last win was by Britain’s Evelyn Pinching in 1937 in the women’s downhill.

The first victory was succeeded by Britain’s Gordon Cleaver in 1931 in the combined classification from the first Hahnenkamm race.

Dave Ryding brought victory to the United Kingdom for the third time.

“Since the beginning of the Hahnenkamm races, Kitzbühel and the United Kingdom have been connected in a special way. The first Hahnenkamm World Cup victory by Dave Ryding strengthens this bond even further, which we are very happy about,” said the Managing Director of Kitzbühel Tourism, Dr. Viktoria Veider-Walser.

“The British market has always been of great importance to Kitzbühel Tourism, which is why we are celebrating this victory in particular.”

Dave Ryding. Image © PlanetSKI

Dave Ryding is GB’s most successful alpine skier and PlanetSKI caught up with him towards the end of the season after another podium, this time in Garmisch-Partenkirchen in Germany.

See here for an extended interview with our editor, James Cove.

And our full report:

The PlanetSKI Dave Ryding Interview: In Full

James Cove & Dave Ryding. Image © PlanetSKI

Meanwhile for the life and times of Dave Ryding see our special PlanetSKI report on his rise from the dry ski slopes of the UK to Hahnenkamm immortality.

We posted it after his famous victory: