He is a living legend in timekeeping circles and has so many anecdotes that a whole day would probably not be enough to fit them all in. We are talking about Mario Stegher, who has been at every Saslong Classic since the legendary World Cup final of the 1974/75 season.

With a smile, the man from Bolzano/Bozen reflects all the way back to the race in 1978, which had to be interrupted due to a technical error in the timing system and then repeated in the early afternoon. “It's a good thing that Erik Håker won, who was also in the lead when the race was stopped. Who knows what else might have happened. For tourism in Val Gardena/Gröden, this cancellation was a stroke of luck, because the state television RAI broadcast for hours and showed images of the deeply snow-covered landscape,” recalls Stegher. This year's race on the Saslong is something Mario Stegher, who still does his job as a timekeeper with great passion after five decades, is looking forward to with great anticipation.

Happy 50th Saslong Classic Mario!