Dispute over the Kandahar downhill in Garmisch
The Kandahar downhill course on Hausberg in Garmisch-Partenkirchen is one of the most traditional venues on the Alpine skiing circuit and has hosted World Cup races since 1970. The Kandahar downhill in Garmisch is also set to remain one of the most important courses for Maria Riesch, Lindsay Vonn & Co. in the future, first at the Alpine Skiing World Championships in February 2011 and a few years later at the 2018 Olympics, provided the joint bid by Munich and Garmisch is awarded the major sporting event. However, these plans by the International Ski Federation (FIS), the Munich bid committee and the local organisers could be thwarted by some landowners from Garmisch.
Dispute over the Kandahar downhill in Garmisch
Date: 30/09/2026
Garmisch-Partenkirchen, ski holidays and winter sports are practically inseparable. Nevertheless, a total of 58 farmers are refusing to make their land on or alongside the Kandahar downhill course available. After protracted negotiations, it has at least now been possible to ensure that the 2011 Alpine Skiing World Championships can go ahead as scheduled on the Kandahar in February, but when it comes to the "2018 Olympics," the landowners remain unwilling to talk. This could turn into a worst-case scenario for Munich and Garmisch, since the IOC, which is responsible for awarding the 2018 Olympics, must receive all the official documents by 11 January 2011 at the latest—including the proposed courses and sporting venues.
Only one farmer’s meadow is actually located directly on the spectacular Kandahar downhill course, which attracts many spectators to the Garmisch hotels every year to watch the Ski World Cup in Germany live along the course. The problem, however, is that an agreement must be reached with all the owners, since the land has to be designated to the IOC as parking areas and run-off zones. As things stand, the dispute over the Kandahar downhill in Garmisch could, in the worst case, result in expropriation, as an alternative location is considered unlikely. In any event, the farmers are left with a bitter aftertaste, too: no one has objected to the races on the Kandahar in the past 40 years, so the current opposition is closely linked to suspicions that they are seeking publicity in the media.
Kai Rebmann
