Thöni & Stenmark Reunite In Val Gardena 50 Years After Their Legendary Dual
On March 23, 1975, ski racing turned into a full-blown thriller on the Ronc slope in Ortisei. FIS decided that the World Cup final would be a parallel slalom, with the obvious intention of making the finale even more exciting.
At that point, no one knew what they were about to witness in this unforgettable ski season. Heading into the final race in Ortisei, which was set to crown an already iconic season, three athletes were tied at the top of the overall World Cup standings: Gustav Thöni, the South Tyrolean superstar and leading figure of the best Italian ski team of all time, the legendary Valanga Azzurra, was chasing his fourth Big Crystal Globe; Ingemar Stenmark, the Swedish sensation, coached by local hero Hermann Nogler, was on the brink of making history by winning the overall World Cup at the age of 19; and Franz Klammer, the Austrian powerhouse and the most successful downhill skier of all time, who was not expected to have much of a chance on the challenging slalom course of the Ronc slope.
However, the rules were different from today's, with strike results – which drop weaker finishes from the rankings – mixing sport and mathematics. Only the Austrian Klammer could be credited with 25 points for victory, and 11 points for fourth place would also have sufficed, as Stenmark and Thöni only had a maximum of ten points at their disposal. But Klammer, not the strongest slalom skier of this pack, would be eliminated in the last 32 against Helmuth Schmalzl. The other two made it to the final – and Thöni won, to the cheers of his fellow countrymen and -women.
Everything was set for an epic battle, and the outcome came down to a last-minute showdown: The two rivals and favorites for the overall World Cup title, Thöni and Stenmark, faced off in a dramatic last race, that would decide who would take home the prestigious Crystal Globe.
A showdown for the ages unfolded on the legendary Ronc slope, with 40,000 passionate fans in Val Gardena and millions more watching on television, witnessing sports history. In the end, it was Gustav Thöni who triumphed over the young Swedish sensation, securing his fourth Big Crystal Globe.
It was his fourth overall FIS World Cup victory and one of his last career highlights. The South Tyrolean, who grew up and learnt to ski at the foot of the Stelvio Pass, not only won crystal globes in 1970/71, 1971/72, 1972/73 and 1974/75, but also three Olympic medals (gold in the giant slalom in 1972, silver in the slalom in 1972 and 1976). Thöni was also a five-time FIS World Champion.
The superstar from Val Venosta symbolises the region he comes from. He chose his words carefully, even when he was coaching the great Alberto Tomba. Gustav Thöni was an Alpine phenomenon and much more - as Gustavo Thoeni, he was also a German-speaking idol of Italian sport.
Now, 50 years later, the story comes full circle. On August 28, 2025, at 5:30 PM, Gustav Thöni and Ingemar Stenmark will reunite on stage at the “Luis Trenker” Cultural Center in Ortisei, Val Gardena — side by side — to look back on that unforgettable race – sharing memories, emotions and rare insights into one of the most historic moments in alpine skiing.
The evening will be hosted by two journalists: Leo Senoner, editor at Rai Ladinia, and Lorenzo Fabiano, author of the book “Thoeni vs Stenmark, l’ultima porta” and the documentary “La Valanga Azzurra”, directed by Giovanni Veronesi.
