Future of the ski bob in danger: President Fritsch raises the alarm!

Future of the ski bob in danger: President Fritsch raises the alarm!

Innsbruck, Österreich - On June 15, 2025, the discussion about the future of ski bobs will be fueled further. Roland Fritsch, who has been President of the Austrian SkiBobverband (ÖSBV) since 2012, is headed for this debate. He started his passion for this sport in 1967 during his school days in Hallstatt. However, Fritsch expresses great concern about the future of ski bobs, especially due to financial and climatic challenges. Climate change makes snow reliability difficult in the ski areas, which significantly impairs the implementation of competitions.

In the 2023/24 season, only two World Cup races took place, which Fritsch calls "disaster". These races took place in Deštné V Orlických Horách (Czech Republic) and on Nassfeld, the latter was praised as a reliable venue. Many ski areas are no longer snowproof, which significantly limits the competition options for the athletes.

Innovative approaches to securing the future

In order to promote Skibob-Sport and secure its future, the ÖSBV is planning measures to develop alternatives. Last year Skibob took part in the Sport Austria Finals for the first time, and the event in Innsbruck in 2024 is described as a spectacular experiment. Fritsch, who inspected the new route on the Bergisel, hopes that the event will win many spectators and interested parties for the ski bob through innovative approaches.

new materials and technical options should also be tested. Roland Wlezcek, the state champion in ski bob, sees great potential in summer skiing and plans to establish this aspect outside of the finals. Fritsch emphasizes that it is necessary to bring skibob to the summer to maintain sport. It is worked on the route and the material up to the premiere of Sport Austria Finals 2024, which will take place from May 29 to June 2.

success and challenges in ski bobs

The past competitions also showed promising results because the athletes such as Pia Zoister (3rd), Leonhard Wegmayer (2nd) and Markus Achleitner (3rd) achieved good placements in the World Cup overall ranking. The low risk of falling and injury makes Skibob a safe sport that is easy to learn. In addition, the ÖSBV could provide a spectacular event with the best drivers on the Bergisel.

However, the challenges remain. Since the Federation Internationale de Skibob (FISB) was founded in 1961 in Innsbruck, the skibob/snow bike sport has developed. FISB supports member associations and is committed to anchoring sports in society in order to improve the quality of life and health of people.

In view of all of these aspects, Fritsch plans to be active in the association for three years before he withdraws. He is aware of the big tasks that lie in front of the ÖSBV, not least because of the rather small organization that concentrates the workload on a few people. Nevertheless, Fritsch hopes that the upcoming events and innovations can lead the ski bob into a new era.

For the further development of the ski bob, which has over 50 years of tradition in alpine sport, it is crucial to promote both the performance and popular sports and to stay interested in future challenges.