Star-studded magic and epic endeavours

The full moon and headlamps light the route for the cross-country skiers in this night-time race.

Star-studded magic and epic endeavours For 15 years now, the Seiser Alm has been hosting the Moonlight Classic at the turn of the months between January and February. This cross-country skiing race of 15 and 30 kilometres in length takes its name from its two most distinctive features: It is raced exclusively in classic style, and under the light of the moon, myriad headlamps and no less than 1000 blazing torches.

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Text: Sabine Funk Photo: Helmuth Rier

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The moonlit, snow-blanketed Alpine pasture backed by the silhouettes of the Sassolungo and Sassopiatto is verging on the abstract against the deep blue night skies, and is an extraordinary sight to behold. Not without good reason did Roman Polanski choose it as the backdrop for his legendary “Fearless Vampire Killers.” This early-February evening is more reminiscent of the famed film classic than ever, the trails illuminated by the surreal glow of hundreds of flickering torches. The atmosphere, however, is anything but eerie, and there is a lively buzz of activity in the starting area of the Moonlight Classic in Compaccio, where an immense party & hospitality marquee tent is erected every year. Party music and an upbeat live commentary float out from the loudspeakers as

wiry athletes dash around from office to tent to the service room in the fire station, where they give their narrow skis a final coat of the perfect wax to match the conditions.

In the racing office, a babel of languages fills the air: From Scandinavia to the Czech Republic, Germany and many corners of Italy, the ambitious amateurs and countless pros have travelled from everywhere imaginable to take part in this unusual race. Over the course of the past 15 years, the race has reached full-blown cult status on the international cross-country scene. The wheels were set in motion for the event by Robert Santer, a cross-country fan from the local area who remains enthusiastically involved in the organisation of »

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Up to 500 cross-country skiers take their place at the starting line for the South Tyrol Moonlight Classic on the Seiser Alm.

the event to this day. Robert has been cross-country skiing for over 50 years now, and has covered a considerable number of kilometres on the nighttime trails of the mountain pasture for one very good reason: As a cook, his work hours rarely allow him the chance to dedicate much time to his great passion by day.

So how did Robert come up with the idea of setting the Seiser Alm as the scene for the cross-country fest that the Moonlight Classic has grown to become, with an atmosphere that is the envy of so many organisers of popular events? “When the cable car was built, interest in cross-country skiing waned for a while,” says Santer. “We didn’t have – and still don’t – the infrastructure. A keen cross-country enthusiast wants to be able to drive to the trails, or be able to change clothes there, rather than having to freeze for a quarter of an

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hour in the cable car in relatively thin clothing.

At that time, cross-country skiing hadn’t made a comeback in the fashion stakes, which it has since done, and the clientele were completely different.

People poked fun at these cross-country skiers with their ancient equipment, and saw them as the poor cousins of skiing; they had the reputation of not being able to afford a “proper” skiing holiday. Some hotels only accepted cross-country skiers begrudgingly, or not at all.” In Santer’s opinion, the cross-country skiing on the Seiser Alm needed new momentum and, to that end, in 2007 he came up with the idea of holding the Moonlight Classic. Around 100 skiers participated in the first-ever event.

The race has come a long way since then. 350 athletes took part in 2014, and the number of participants today is around 400 to 500, of which around »

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half participate in the full 30 km loop route while the remainder opt for the 15 km half-stretch. The ability level has also gone up – just skiing along for the fun of it is not an option. The first stretch of the big loop route has to be skied in a certain time, otherwise the participants are pulled from the race. The cash prize donated by local hoteliers on the mountain pasture is pretty high for a “fun run” event and an appealing prospect for professionals on the international sporting scene.

Übung macht den Meister. Die Hindernisse verlangen Respekt.

The Moonlight Classic has gained quite some level of fame in the lands of the far north, cradle of cross-country skiing, and time and time again one can hear snippets of conversation in Scandinavian-sounding languages while, at the starting block, the race suits of amateur Swedish or Finnish teams are a common sight – just like those of Katarina and William Nisser, for example, who have come here from Uppsala, Sweden with a group of friends. How did they come to be here?

“My cousin, Jakob Hård, is a sports journalist and one of the best known live commentators in Sweden. He told us about it: He asked top athletes which cross-country skiing areas were their training-grounds of choice. Seven out of the nine respondents said: On the Seiser Alm!” They signed up for the race months ago, and even the fact that Katarina broke her arm 5 weeks ago did not deter her from taking part in the venture. Her enthusiasm for being able to race here amidst this special backdrop before moving on to Seefeld is tangible.

“But we feel the height; we are not used to that at home, and it makes it that bit more challenging still,” admits a good-humoured William.

The festive atmosphere of this special cross-country ski race by the light of the night sky does not entice only guests from far-flung lands: The Moonlight Classic is also very popular among the locals, a fact which is clear to be seen both in the seemingly innumerable voluntary helpers from the local area, without whose indefatigable efforts the »

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Die-hard Moonlight Classic fans travel from Sweden, Finland and other Nordic countries to put themselves to the test on the Seiser Alm.

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A commemorative medal for all finishers: From pros to amateurs, each and every one of the cross-country skiers goes all out to take the lead.

Shortly before going to press, the editors received unfortunate news: For safety reasons and to protect participants, guests, spectators and helpers, the 15th South Tyrol Moonlight Classic Seiser Alm has had to be postponed until 2022. The date will be announced in good time at www.moonlightclassic.info.

organisation would be all but impossible. But the locals also take part as spectators and participants, cross-country skiing enthusiasts and sisters Agnes and Evi Kritzinger from Fiè allo Sciliar to name but two. Last year they were in the midst of the spectators and were enthralled by the atmosphere. “So we resolved to be at the starting line here next year, too” says Agnes.

The professional athletes among the participant see the race very differently. “You should not underestimate this race,” explains Robert Santer.

“On first impressions it always seems kind of romantic here, but romance doesn’t come into it for the racers. The route is extremely demanding.

There is a considerable altitude difference to overcome and accordingly, a number of fast downhills.

Overall, it’s a hard pace to keep up.” Some racers find the Moonlight Classic more challenging than the Marcialonga, the exceptionally difficult 70 km ski marathon. “The athletes who have competed at World Cup level or who have raced until recently, understandably, want to make a good impression here and, in the best-case scenario, win themselves a podium and the prize money. Prior to the event the racers or their coaches ask me detailed questions about who else has registered so that they can weigh up their chances. I try, of course, to be as non-committal as possible,” smiles Santer.

Monique Siegel from Annaberg-Buchholz in the Ore Mountains has already participated in the Moonlight Classic several times. She has won the 30 kilometre race once and taken third place on another occasion, and is oozing drive and determination. This evening is an unusual event for her: She retired from her professional career last year and is taking her starting place as an “amateur” for the first time. She has known her two podium rivals for many years, and even before the starting shot sounds, is aware that she will probably have to concede victory to Poland’s Justyna Kowalczyk, another World Cup veteran. Siegel thinks

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she may have a good chance against Italy’s Antonella Confortola - and she’s not wrong: To her great joy, she made it by a whisker and crossed the finish line second, where the podium winners are treated post-haste to a small fireworks display in their honour and a bouquet of flowers.

Do events like the Moonlight Classic safeguard the popularity of cross-country skiing? Robert Santer is concerned about the future of his sport, whose salvation is dependent on a number of factors. “On one hand, it is certainly encouraging that the cross-country skiers who come to the Seiser Alm today spend an average of a whole week here. These are people who made a conscious decision to practice this marvellous sport, and not because they don’t want to spend money on the ski pass,” explains Robert. One serious problem is, of course, climate change. Given that there hasn’t been any snow in the low mountain ranges for a while, there will be fewer cross-country skiers in the future. This may make it difficult for the clubs to enthuse the next generation. Even on the high alpine pastures, the situation has been tricky for the past few years, which is why Santer sees a pressing need for action: the solution would be a purpose-built snow-blowing system capable of ensuring about seven to eight kilometres of cross-country trails, regardless of snowfall. This snow guarantee is also important for the World Cup teams who, given the Seiser Alm’s ideal location at 1,800 to 2,000 metres, would love to train here at high altitude but, of course, need dependable conditions. The marketing effect which these professional teams provide is of immeasurable value for the Seiser Alm cross-country skiing area. Numerous big-name cross-country skiers proclaim their love for the sunny heights and wide-open views of the alpine pasture and are eager to experience the enchanting atmosphere of this landscape even in the moonlight. All being well, the Moonlight Classic has many more good years to come! «

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