Skibobbing

A Skibob is a sports equipment, be driven to the ski slopes and sitting with belted Fußskiern. The device is also known as snow cycle. In the UK it is called Skibike and the sport also Skibobbing.

History of the single-lane slide

In the 19th century, inventors have tried repeatedly to develop snow vehicles that led to today's Skibob as precursors in America and Europe. 1892 reported the American John C. Stevens of Hartford a U.S. patent for a " one-track -guided carriages " to. Modelled on a normal bike, the front wheel he replaced with a slider rail and ran the rear wheel between two runners. This device has never been out of the stage of development, because a swing and sliding was not possible. Also in 1892 there were attempts on skis instead of wheels of the bicycle, which is also not proved.

1911 was invented in Grindelwald ( Switzerland ) the Velogemel; with runners instead of skis and without suspension system could use only steep snow tracks or channels with long spout.

Story of sitting ski, ski bob and snow bike

1949 Engelbert Brenter received the Austrian patent protection on its sitting ski; the patent application was filed only on October 2, 1952. The March 10, 1949 applies so well as the birth of modern Skibobsports.

Engelbert Brenter was a wheelwright, a skiing pioneer and be sitting ski based on the basics of skiing and not as before on a modification of a bicycle or carriage. Thus, the breakthrough for sports equipment - swing and sliding was the first time possible with his invention. The combination of front and Hinterski in a line, as in Gfäller egg (see below), as well as suspension system and Fußski the Skibob was a piste -grade sports equipment. Unfortunately, there were the two independent developer of the skidoo ( Brenter and Gfäller ) in 1958 - and could from then on each other further work on the development of the skidoo. The specificity of the Brenter - skidoo, namely two Fußski for stabilization of driving, quickly sat down opposite the Gfäller egg through which was equipped like a motorcycle with footrests. In particular, the suspension was developed by Brenter on, so that after the completion of production of the two skidoo Gfällers the modern Skibob arose, which was then produced in various ways by other companies in Switzerland, Germany and Austria.

On October 25, 1951, the son of the wheelwright George Gfäller sen reported. jun from Kiefersfelden, the German Georg Gfäller. , with the help of Ernst Schmidt tearing his Skibob, a steerable sled for a patent, which is the original of the later Gfäller egg -specified device. ( To improve the shock absorption of this Skibob had an egg -shaped frame ). 1952 Advanced Georg Gfäller jun. the basic shape of the skidoo to a jet engine, a propeller drive and structural wing and reported this ( curiously ) also for a patent. He later cancel its patents to enable the Skibobsport as a popular sport and other manufacturers, in addition to leading Brenter 's to win for production.

Associations

• On January 14, 1961 in Innsbruck, the International Association of Skibobfahrer (Fédération Internationale de Skibob ( FISB ) ) with President George Gfäller jun. founded and took his seat in Eugene village. Became vice president of the Austrian Eduard Stierschneider from Hallein. The basis for the foundation were numerous regional and national Skibobvereine and associations in many countries, with most organizations from the Alpine countries Germany, Austria, France, Italy and Switzerland came. In 1992, the Association of 20 member countries with a total of 30,000 athletes. For the year 2009 ( June) 9 State associations were reported, 8 of which come from Europe.

• In Germany the Skibobsport first came under the care of the Bavarian Bobsleigh and Luge Association in BLSV (Bavarian National Sports Federation ), whose chairman Georg Gfäller jun. been. It was not until 1965, was divided from the department Skibob and became the national association ( German Association Skibob ) jun BLSV headquartered in Munich, again under the chairmanship of George Gfäller. Since the 21st century, Gerhard Lenhart stands before the DSBV.
• In 1966, founded the Austrian Skiboblehrer Association.

Race, records and championships

First competitions and best times

In January 1951, the first Skibobrennen the world took place in Kiefersfelden. It was jun by Rudolf Steiner and Georg Gfäller. organized. To apply the model came later Gfäller egg called ' Typhoon '. Every year, followed by other Skibobrennen so in Oberaudorf, Hausham (1958), where for the first time the Austrian manufacturer of the son (then a sitting ski, then Skibobnutzer ) won immediately, Erich Brenter, took part in the race and because of the superior design. The oldest participant was Georg Gfäller sen., The youngest grandson, who was then 9 -year-old George R. Gfäller. Both had to acknowledge the superiority of the Brenter - skidoo because of the new Fußski for stabilization.

1964 Guinness world speed record in Cervinia Italy

Of 1964, Erich Brenter the first world speed record of 166 km / h in Cervinia ( Italy), and found so that the Guinness Book of World Records.

From 1963 to 1986 there were European Championships, 1967 World Championships will be held. Most winners come from Switzerland, Austria and in recent years from the Czech Republic. Also German athletes climbed the podium on several occasions, especially in the period from 1971 to 1989. Skibob The first departure European champion Erich Brenter on a Brenter Skibob entirely of wood.

In the years 1981-1985 Walter Kroneisl took eight world champions, six European titles and was a five-time overall World Cup winner. He managed the three-time defending his downhill world champion title ( 1987-1989).

Gearfried Seeber since 1992 holds the long jump world record on one K - 90 hill in Upper Wiesenthal. He is also since the 2010-2011 season world record holder in ridden years (his 30th World Cup season as an active racer ).

Markus Moser from Austria is in possession of the world title from 2010, he was able to defend the 31th time.

The Austrian athlete Petra Gamper from the club Tschach Wlezceck is the reigning World Champion and could even win this title for the 14th time.

2007 Guinness world altitude record in Obertauern

Hermann Koch and Harald Brenter, the grandson of the inventor Engelbert Brenter, presented on 22 March 2007 in Obertauern / Austria on a world altitude record of 32 736 meters above sea level in eleven hours. They completed this 62 departures each 528 meters and reached a top speed of 107 km / h As a world record device used was a 7 kg lightweight modern series snow bike in the equipment full suspension and carving.

2010 Grossglockner first descent with a snow bike

On 23 April 2010 Harald Brenter, Florian Schwarz and Wolfgang Bacher Jast were associated with an originating in the Snow bike manufacturer Brenter 5 kg ultralight tours specially crafted for the first time on the Grossglockner. They defeated uphill and downhill so that the highest mountain in Austria. The adventure was accompanied by a film crew and prepared in the form of a cinematic adventure Doko.

2011 first descent of a Series 4000 in Switzerland with a snow bike

On 28 March 2011 the snowbike Club Bern (Director Valais Tourism ), Daniel Luggen ( Kurdirektor Zermatt ), Dr. Berno Stoffel boarded with 9 participants Georges Gruber ( mountain guide ), Harald & Lisa Brenter (manufacturer), Urs Zenhäusern (CEO company Bern ), Björn Walter ( 2x Skibob world Champion), Olivier Andenmatten (OK President & fun race week) and Sören Walter ( Photographer ) with the touring snowbike the Breithorn ( 4164 m asl) near Zermatt.

2011 First descent of Mont Blanc with a snow bike

The Austrian Wolfgang Jast defeated on 5 May 2011 Europe's highest mountain with a snow bike. With the specially developed Brenter snowbike C6 Touring he managed the ascent and the descent on the northern flank of the Mont Blanc.

2013 Guinness "Vertical Distance" world record

Hermann Koch and Harald Brenter, grandson of the inventor Skibob Engelbert Brenter, presented on March 12, 2013 Austria a vertical distance record of 3086 meters above sea level in an hour.

Racing disciplines

The disciplines - classification is as in the alpine skiing disciplines according Slalom, Parallel Slalom, Giant Slalom, Super - G, downhill and Alpine combined. Women and men are at the start. There is also high speed driving, it reached Romuald Bonvin from Switzerland ( who is also chairman of the Swiss - Skibob Association is ) on 17 April 2003 on a special track in Les Arcs 201.580 km / h