Audi 2012 Annual Report Download - page 118

This is one of those idyllic
days for skiing. Since morn -
ing, the sun has been
peaking through the wispy
clouds on the “Turmwiese,”
one of the most beautiful ski slopes
in Saalbach-Hinterglemm. Perfect
conditions for carrying out a special
sort of duel.
Waiting to start at an altitude of
1,200 meters are a black and a dark
blue SQ5 TDI. Standing next to the
SUVs are two athletes whose quest is
to continually explore new boundaries:
Audi factory driver Rahel Frey, 27, who
is currently one of the fastest women
race car drivers in Europe, and Hilde
Gerg, 37, Olympic slalom champion at
the 1998 Olympics in Nagano and an
Audi brand ambassador. They checked
out the course in the morning, and
now they await the start signal of an
unconventional slalom race: The first
run will be on skis, the second in the
new Audi SQ5 TDI with 230 kW (313 hp)
of power. The tense anticipation of the
two competitors is perceptible: “I might
be Swiss and can ski, but I’m much
better on a snowboard,” says Rahel
Frey. “Going down the ski slope in a
car – that is an entirely new challenge
for me,” states Hilde Gerg, who found
fame in her ten years of professional
skiing as “Wild Hilde.”
The first run: Rahel Frey wears her
car racing helmet and Halti skiwear
from the Audi collection. Ideally
equipped, she takes up the challenge,
but senses that she’s a bit out of her
league in this part of the race. “My
plan is: Don’t fall, keep the gap small,
and if necessary just shoot straight
down the hill!” Then the competition
starts. The two racers are o with a
strong push and immediately go into
an aerodynamic racing tuck. The slope
is not too steep, but thanks to her
excellent technique, Hilde Gerg carves
through the gates with tighter turns
than her competitor. “Incredible – Gerg
still skis just like she did at the height
of her career!” says Fritz Steger, vice-
president of the local ski club, at the
finish area. Steger laid out the course,
and he knows Hilde Gerg well: 11 years
ago she won back-to-back downhill
victories at Saalbach-Hinterglemm
within 48 hours, and Steger’s father
was the one who awarded her the vic-
tory medals.
Now Gerg rushes down the course
at high speed and finishes a full two
seconds ahead of Frey. “Does it still
look like skiing?” teases Gerg, as
though she wasn’t exactly sure. Rahel
Frey is also satisfied with her ski
run, but the gap is bugging her a bit,
because she did not make any obvious
skiing errors. “I am amazed at the speed
Hilde reaches, especially through the
turns! But I will make up that time in
the car,” predicts Frey confidently.
The second run: Now, just as the
two Audi SQ5 TDI cars are making
their slalom debut, the sun gradually
softens the snow on the slope. “Can
I brake quickly down at the finish?”
Hilde Gerg asks Saalbach veteran Sepp
Haider, instructor for Audi driving
experience and former rally race
driver. “Definitely,” he replies, “but if
the rear of the car starts to overtake
the front, you must quickly back o
on the brakes.” Haider, who was a ski
instructor before he became a race car
driver, leans over to speak to Gerg in
her car and explains how to maneuver
the SUV quickly and securely through
the gates. Taking the oroad vehicle
down the ski slope is like skiing in deep
snow under dicult conditions. “What
Audi brand ambassador with Olympic Gold:
During her racing career, Hilde Gerg
stirred up the competition as “Wild Hilde.”
Ski boots instead of race overalls: The
Swiss national Rahel Frey drives for Audi
and is currently considered one of the
fastest women race car drivers in Europe.
121