Wintersports
Alpine Skiing
Unforgettable moments on the Streif - beyond ski racing
The Streif is alpine skiing’s ultimate test, where mistakes come fast and consequences come faster. But on this mountain, the biggest moments haven’t always happened on skis…
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The Streif in Kitzbühel, Austria is one of the most famous downhill ski courses on the planet and the home of the legendary Hahnenkamm Downhill. The 3,312-meter track drops 860 meters, reaches a maximum gradient of 85 percent, and demands total control at extreme speed. Every run is a full-body, full-focus test, even for the best in the world. Over the years, the Streif has delivered moments that go far beyond the usual boundaries of ski racing. Here are some of the most unforgettable.
Pilot Dario Costa soars down the Streif at 217 mph
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Dario Costa's Streif course preview
Dario Costa gives us the ultimate track review of the world’s most dangerous skiing challenge: the Streif.
In 2025, Dario Costa brought the Streif to the skies, flying his Zivko Edge 540 down Kitzbühel’s infamous course and matching its brutal bends and drops with breathtaking precision. Alongside Daron Rahlves, the 2003 Hahnenkamm downhill winner, Costa turned the mountain into a triple-digit-speed playground, where aviation and alpine racing collide.
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Have you seen the Streif at night?
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Lindsey Vonn takes on the Streif
Lindsey Vonn is the first skier to take on the ultimate challenge in downhill skiing – the Streif – at night.
The Streif is intimidating in daylight but at night, it’s a different kind of challenge. Lindsey Vonn pushed out of the start gate into near-total darkness, facing the steepest drop on the course with almost nothing visible ahead. “When you look out of the starting gate and it’s dark and you can’t see the Mausefalle, it looks like you’re jumping off the edge of the world,” she said.
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Max Verstappen turns The Streif into his own F1 track
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Max Verstappen’s F1 show run in the snow
Max Verstappen drives a Formula One car around an iconic ski hill in Austria.
Max Verstappen is no stranger to pushing motorsport into new territory, but his run at Kitzbühel’s Hahnenkamm Festival took that mindset onto completely unfamiliar ground. While the world’s best skiers geared up to tackle the legendary Streif, Oracle Red Bull Racing had a different idea: bring a Formula One car to the snow and see what it could do. “I’ve never driven on snow before,” said Verstappen, “we had to put chains on the tires - such a unique experience.”
No Streiff: Max Verstappen on a downhill run
© Samo Vidic/Red Bull Content Pool
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Delivering a BMX show in the snow
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Behind the scenes with Matthias Dandois on the Streif
Go behind the scenes as flatland star Matthias Dandois performs on the Streif to a unique soundtrack.
BMX meets skiing and classical music meets drum and bass as nine-time flatland world champion Matthias Dandois performs tricks on the roof of the iconic Streif start house to a unique soundtrack. Watch as the Frenchman conjures up another world-class performance, this time in the snow.
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Get a unique view of the Streif with the Red Bull Skydive team
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A flying Streif preview by the Red Bull Skydive Team
You've never the seen the fearsome Streif downhill like this before. Strap in for the Red Bull Skydive Team's unique preview.
Who says you need skis to experience the Streif up close? The Red Bull Skydive team created this action-packed preview in 2021, which perfectly illustrates just how steep and fast this slope really is. Jumping from a helicopter 2,500 meters above Kitzbühel, wingsuit pilots and speed paragliders flew the Streif from start to finish hitting 60km/h in under a second and reaching speeds of up to 250km/h above the steepest sections.
It's certainly a memorable way to preview a ski race
© Philip Platzer
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Watch what happened when Mad Max took on the Streif
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Max Stöckl vs Streif
Watch Max Stöckl take on the infamous Streif downhill ski run in this action clip.
Swapping skis for wheels, mountain biker Max Stöckl took a specially prepared bike onto the actual race-ready Streif and totally nailed it – you'll see what we mean from his tyres. Watch the full clip above and then go on board for the incredible POV below.
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Max Stöckl vs the Streif POV
Get a POV view of Max Stöckl's Streif run.
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See why skiers fear this hill in Streif – A Hell Of A Ride
STREIF – One Hell of a Ride takes you inside the minds of the athletes as they prepare to take on the Hahnenkamm Downhill. Featuring skiers including Aksel Lund Svindal, Erik Guay, Max Franz, Yuri Danilochkin, Hannes Reichelt, Marcel Hirscher and Felix Neureuther, the film captures the pressure, focus and emotion behind every run. It highlights what it takes to go all-in on one of sport’s most intense natural stages.
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Fabio Wibmer's unique Kitzbühel run
Fabio Wibmer has wanted to take on the Streif for years, but not on skis. Growing up near Kitzbühel, he watched the world’s best race the course and eventually set his sights on riding it by bike, with extra obstacles added for an even bigger challenge. Because the Streif’s race-prepped snow can feel more like ice, his setup had to be completely reworked, including custom spiked tires. After nearly two years of preparation, Wibmer and his team finally made it happen.
Just what the Streif was missing – obstacles
© Philip Platzer/Red Bull Content Pool
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Riding the Strief - uphill - with MotoGP™ legend Marc Márquez
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Marc Márquez brings MotoGP™ to Kitzbühel
Marc Márquez tackles the Hahnenkamm on his MotoGP™ bike.
Proving that he can ride a motorcycle absolutely anywhere, multiple MotoGP™ champion Marc Márquez decided to attack the world's most famous ski run on two wheels, but up the course. He even managed a wheelie or two, which really is just showing off. That's the mark of a champion.
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Soar like an eagle over the Streif... literally
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Eagle Cam POV of Streif Hahnenkamm race course
This is the coolest way the Streif ski race course check has ever been done – by eagle-eye POV.
A few years ago, a trained eagle that also starred in the Terra Mater film Wie Bruder im Wind (Brothers of the Wind) took a flight down the Streif with a camera on board. You can enjoy the soaring view in the video above.
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Must-watch: Downhill Skiers Ain’t No Mountain Steep Enough
Downhill Skiers: Ain’t No Mountain Steep Enough
Get an insight into the emotional and psychological worlds of elite alpine skiers during the 2024/25 season.
To get in the mood for a spectacular 86th Hahnenkamm weekend in Kitzbühel, there’s a new documentary highlight for ski fans. Downhill Skiers: Ain’t No Mountain Steep Enough goes inside the world of alpine speed specialists, offering rare behind-the-scenes insight into what it takes to race at the limit. Directed by Gerald Salmina, the film has already drawn big crowds to cinemas and will be available on Red Bull TV from January 23, a powerful reminder of what makes downhill skiing so addictive to watch.
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