On March 23, 1975, ski racing turned into a full-blown thriller on the Ronc slope in Ortisei — more suspenseful than anything even John Le Carré could have written. What was meant to be a fun, show-style parallel slalom to close the World Cup season became a legendary showdown no one could have predicted.

Three titans of the sport stood at the start gate, tied in the overall standings: Gustav Thöni, South Tyrol’s alpine icon and leader of the legendary Valanga Azzurra, chasing his fourth crystal globe. Ingemar Stenmark, the Swedish prodigy trained by local hero Hermann Nogler, ready to make history. Franz Klammer, Austria’s downhill powerhouse, though not built for slalom. What unfolded was an unforgettable duel between Thöni and Stenmark — a race for the ages, etched into skiing mythology. In front of 40,000 spectators in Val Gardena and millions glued to their TVs, Gustav Thöni edged out his young rival in a nerve-racking final run and claimed alpine skiing’s most coveted trophy.

Now, 50 years later, the story comes full circle. On August 28, 2025 at 5:30 PM, Gustav Thöni and Ingemar Stenmark will reunite on stage at the Luis Trenker Cultural Center in Ortisei — side by side — to relive the moments, the rivalry, and the raw emotion of the most iconic race in alpine ski history. Hosting the evening will be two journalists: Leo Senoner, editor at Rai Ladinia, and Lorenzo Fabiano, author of the book “ Thoeni vs Stenmark, l’ultima porta” and the documentary “La Valanga Azzurra”, directed by Giovanni Veronesi.