NEWS BY EURO NEWSROOM

Wild start to winter in Saalbach-Hinterglemm 15.12.2007

The Italian team of Luis Trenker and former ski star Kristian Ghedina won the second edition of the "Swatch Snow Mobile in the Austrian winter sport stronghold of Saalbach-Hinterglemm outside Salzburg. The team competition on snow mobiles racing through the centre of the town had a distinctive Formula One flavour to it this year with Mark Webber, Alex Wurz and the legendary commentator Heinz Prueller all taking part.

"It's the Monaco GP of the winter" said Heinz Prueller. The dean of Formula One journalists was back at work as a commentator on Saturday. Complete with the paddock club, F1 motor homes, Mark Webber (Red Bull Racing), the two former Austrian drivers Alex Wurz and Patrick Friesacher, as well as a host of celebrities on hand, the event had the feel of another stop on the calendar in motor sport's premier event.

A total of 24 teams of six drivers each from five different nations were hitting speeds of up to 90 km/h as they battled for the victory during the hour-long race on their 75 PS strong snow mobiles around the circuit set up in the centre of Hinterglemm.

There were a number of crashes, but no injuries, on the tight curve-filled circuit that passed in front of a number of popular local bars and hotels.
The Italian team of Luis Trenker (Alexander Monteleone, Roland Ploner, Alexander Ploner, Michi Klemera, Kristian Ghedina, Molling Karl-Heinz) won the race while the pre-race favourite, the "Swatch" team, was knocked out in the semi-finals due to engine problems.

Posing the greatest challenge to the drivers during the training sessions was the leap over a hay barn.

Results:

1.Luis Trenker, 2. Up!Grade (-1 round), 3.Skicircus Saalbach Hinterglemm Leogang (-2 rounds), 4. Swatch the Club (-3 round), 5. Rainer-Wurz.com (-3 rounds), 6. Höflinger Der Münchner Bäcker (-3 rounds), 7. Red Bull(-4 rounds), 8. TV-Media (-4 rounds), 9. Hitradio Ö3 (-5 rounds), 10. Salzburger Nachrichten (-5 rounds)

Pictures free of charge only for editorial use: Joerg Mitter, Andreas Schaad, Martin Steiger für Euro-Newsroom.com