Earlier this month the winner of last year’s World Cup Fan Club competition in Gardena-Gröden, the Christof Innerhofer fan club from Gais in South Tyrol came to the valley to claim its winning prize. It consisted of an all-day celebration at the local huts and lodges on the Seceda skiing and hiking mountain. “It was pure entertainment� says the fan club founder and president Günther Niederkofler, who is also the famous skier’s brother-in-law. Approximately 40 members participated in the event. Fans were shuttled to the valley by bus and came equipped with guitars, harmonicas and all. Unfortunately, the famous two he-goats and true symbols of the fan club were not able to come along. The day began with a ride up the 2000m high Col Raiser where former free-style world cup champion and ski instructor Hansi Schenk hosted the group to an “aperitivo� and invited them to visit his very own private alpine museum at his lodge.

Lunch was served at the Daniel Hut which the group reached on foot. “We played music, sang, played cards, eat and drank� explains Mr. Niederkofler continuing: “and everybody had a fantastic time�. The day concluded with a visit to the local arts fair UNIKA. The event was led by Genni Tschurtschenthaler who is the Gardena-Gröden OC member responsible for fan clubs. The tickets to the Col Raiser lift as well as lunch was sponsored by the tourist association of Gardena-Gröden. The CI fan club was founded in June 2008 and already counts 530 members.