Ski Club Arlberg Celebrates 125th Anniversary
With 9,173 members from 61 nations, the Ski Club Arlberg (SCA) is one of the largest and most prestigious ski clubs in the world. The board, honorary members, and ambassadors of the Ski Club celebrated the club's 125th anniversary in St. Christoph am Arlberg, the cradle of alpine skiing. In addition to reflecting on past successes, the focus was also on the future – particularly the development of young talent and the club's role in international winter sports.
“For 125 years, the Ski Club Arlberg has stood for passion, community, and a pioneering spirit in skiing. We are proud of our roots, but we are consistently thinking ahead – towards sustainability and fostering the next generation. Our goal remains to keep the fascination of skiing in the Arlberg alive and to further develop it,” SCA President Josef Chodakowsky succinctly stated during the celebrations.
What began in 1901 with eight visionaries has developed into a success story of alpine skiing. The Ski Club Arlberg was not only a co-founder of the Austrian and German Ski Associations, but also a pioneer of many innovations in modern skiing. This development was significantly shaped by the "Arlberg Technique" founded by Hannes Schneider – a ski instruction system that laid the foundation for modern skiing.
The Ski Club Arlberg has been and remains a pioneer not only in alpine skiing instruction but also a key player in the development of major racing events. The historic Arlberg-Kandahar races (since 1928) were already established fixtures on the international racing calendar long before the introduction of the Alpine Ski World Cup. Another milestone was the 2001 Alpine World Ski Championships in St. Anton am Arlberg, the experience gained from which now forms the basis for the bid to host another World Championship in 2033 and underscores the club's commitment to positioning the Arlberg region as a stage for top-level international sports in the future.
A special focus has always been placed on youth development, with around 250 children from the Arlberg villages of St. Anton, Lech, Zürs, and Stuben receiving training at the club each year to pass on the values and joy of skiing. And this successful youth program is currently bearing fruit: Nina Ortlieb and Magdalena Egger, two athletes who emerged from the club's youth program, are now in the spotlight in the Alpine Ski World Cup, and together with the newly crowned European Cup winner and SCA ski racer Leonie Zegg, they are making waves with their performances.
Beyond alpine racing, the club is also strongly represented in new disciplines: In freeriding, ski mountaineering, and other winter sports, young talents like Valentin Rainer, Jana Häusl, and Silvano Wolf are shaping the image of a modern and diverse club. With 118 medals at the Olympic Games and World Championships, the Ski Club Arlberg has impressively demonstrated its dominance in racing and boasts more Olympic and World Champions than any other club. These successes are the result of hard work, great passion, and a strong sense of community.
The Ski Club Arlberg looks back on a 125-year history and is ready for the future: With its strong focus on social tradition, broad youth development and top performance in racing, the club remains a central institution in international skiing.
