THE PILLERSEETAL: A NORTHERN STRONGHOLD

Over 100 kilometres of cross-country skiing fun

Nordic skiing has a long tradition in the PillerseeTal valley in Tyrol: the Biathlon World Championships have already been held twice in Hochfilzen, in 1978 and 2005. And in 2017, too, the PillerseeTal will be hosting the IBU Biathlon World Championships presented by BMW.

The village of Hochfilzen, situated at 1,000 metres above sea level, is one of the five villages in the PillerseeTal, alongside Waidring, St. Jakob in Haus, St. Ulrich am Pillersee and Fieberbrunn. There are several reasons why a Biathlon World Cup and high-profile cross-country skiing competitions are held here every year. On the one hand, the PillerseeTal is the region in Tyrol with the heaviest snowfall; on the other, it offers a varied network of cross-country trails. A total of 100 kilometres of cross-country trails, for both skating and classic styles, are perfectly groomed every day.

The varied network of cross-country trails is also unrivalled. Over 100 kilometres of cross-country trails are groomed daily for both skating and classic-style skiers. There is something to suit every type of cross-country skier.

The first permanent IVV trail, measuring 6 km in length, can also be found in the PillerseeTal. International recreational skiers can have their IVV logbook stamped in St. Ulrich am Pillersee after completing the Au loop.

Three cross-country skiing schools in the PillerseeTal provide expert guidance for those new to Nordic skiing. Here, every cross-country skiing visitor will find not only a professional cross-country ski shop with equipment hire but also expert advice. Highly qualified cross-country ski instructors teach both the classic and skating styles to beginners and advanced skiers alike.

If you’ve ever wanted to follow in the footsteps of world-class biathletes, the PillerseeTal offers the perfect opportunity: biathlon enthusiasts can take a unique “peek behind the scenes of biathlon”. In the guest biathlon, after one or more laps on the cross-country trail, you get to test your marksmanship either with a biathlon rifle or even with a bow and arrow. The programme also includes a brief introduction to cross-country skiing and biathlon, a “celebratory drink” for everyone, and an awards ceremony for the best marksmen and markswomen. For information and to register, contact the “Nordic Academy” in Hochfilzen or at the cross-country skiing school “SINUS” in St. Ulrich am Pillersee.