World's oldest artificial ice track at Königssee reopens after five years

The world's oldest artificial ice track is back. Five years after a rubble avalanche tore through it, the track at Königssee in Bavaria has reopened, and athletes are finally sliding at home again.

Retired head luge coach Norbert Loch couldn't resist being there. He looked after his grandson during the first runs on the rebuilt track.

What happened?

In July 2021, heavy flooding and a huge rubble avalanche in the Berchtesgaden region severely damaged the upper part of the track. In early 2022, the Bavarian state government pledged €53.5 million to rebuild it.

Now the track is ready for use, and Bavaria's premier Markus Söder was at the reopening. He was one of the first politicians to back the rebuild after the disaster.

The honour of the first run went to double Olympic champion Johannes Lochner. He rode a two-man bob with Stefan Kurz, mayor of Schönau am Königssee. "At some point I had stopped believing in it," Lochner said.

Why does this track matter so much?

It's known as the "mother of all artificial ice tracks". Thomas Schwab, head of the German Bobsleigh and Sled Sports Federation (BSD), says it has a very special status among athletes worldwide. The federation also has its headquarters nearby in Berchtesgaden.

Germany has other tracks in Altenberg, Winterberg and Oberhof. Still, Schwab says rebuilding was without alternative. During the closure, teams trained on those tracks and often travelled to Innsbruck in Austria.

What did it cost?

Some critics claimed the price would hit €100 million. Schwab says that gave a wrong impression, as if the track had been destroyed completely. The first pledge was €53.5 million.

Because of long planning and building times, redesigns and big price increases, the project will likely cost about €10 million more. For firm final numbers, Schwab points to the district office responsible.

What's next?

For now, the track is only finished for ten of the eleven Olympic disciplines. The new men's luge start is still missing, and three-time luge Olympic champion Loch will have to wait for it.

Construction of that start is due to begin in March 2027 and finish by the end of 2027. That would clear the way for the world championships in February 2028. Felix Loch, Norbert's son, is already in competition mode and plans to keep going until the 2030 Olympics.