Comeback of the Ski Challenge: Wien Ski Connect Presents a Digital Bridge Between Gaming Fun and Active Sport
- office95980
- 6 days ago
- 5 min read
Under the motto “The Future of Sport Between Reality and Virtual Reality”, Wien Ski Connect invited guests on November 3 to an exclusive Ski & Business Evening at Intersport Winninger in Vienna-Stadlau.Organized and hosted by Martin Dolezal, President of the Vienna Ski and Snowboard Instructors Association “Snowsports Academy”, the event provided an inspiring stage where skiing tradition, technology, and the joy of movement came together.
A distinguished panel of experts from sports, technology, and media discussed how gamification can motivate young people and inspire a new way of thinking about winter sports.
The highlight of the evening was the presentation of the Ski Challenge in combination with the MFT Challenge Disc Digital – a smart balance board developed by MFT Bodyteamwork.Equipped with an integrated sensor and connected via Bluetooth to a dedicated app, the board becomes a digital training device for balance, stability, and coordination.
The setup was brought to life in an interactive experience area provided by LAOLA1, offering participants a full-scale skiing experience.Particularly remarkable: this is the only ski game that can be played without a VR headset – combining physical movement and digital immersion in a unique way.Thanks to the app-based control and the MFT board, users can also train or play actively at home, using a TV or tablet.
Also presented was the brand-new MFT Challenge Disc Digital – Snowsports Academy Edition in striking red: https://www.mftshop24.com/en/all-products/fit-line/mft-challenge-disc-digital-snowsports-55/
Inspiration & Discussion: How Digital Movement Strengthens Real Sport
Double world champion, singer, and mental coach Lizz Görgl emphasized during the panel discussion that progress in sport is essential: “We have to move with the times. Anything that leads people to sports is important. If it motivates them to go outside and be active, I welcome it.” Although she counts herself among the minority who do not play computer games, she added: “If we can get people back to skiing and moving – wonderful. Then it has achieved its purpose.”
Philip Peinsold, CTO and board member of the Ski Challenge, highlighted the remarkable success story of the project: “Since 2003, the Ski Challenge has inspired over five million people. It was one of the first major gaming hypes in the German-speaking world.”
Although the Ski Challenge was discontinued in 2016 for business reasons, initiatives to revive it began in 2021.Now, with the ski associations of Austria, Germany, and Switzerland jointly driving the project forward, Peinsold sees this as a historic step: “We want to bring young people closer to skiing again – digitally active, not passive – and then out into the real world, onto real skis.”
Skiing as a True Audience Magnet
From a media and marketing perspective, Bernhard Brückl, Head of Sales at LAOLA1, stressed that digital tools should serve live sport, not replace it: “It’s not a substitute but an add-on – a fast, low-barrier way to spark interest in real sports. Gaming triggers emotions – and those emotions lead back to the mountains.”
He also pointed to strong data: skiing has become the most female-driven sport on LAOLA1 in terms of user demographics and remains one of the most-viewed and most-commented topics in individual sports news.
Using Every Technology to Inspire Real Movement
Tamara Schandl, Sports & Event Manager at the Austrian Tennis Federation (ÖTV), shared insights into how e-sports are being integrated into tennis: “We deliberately invested early in virtual reality and, together with LAOLA1, organized Austria’s first VR Tennis Championships,” Schandl explained.
The final was held at LAOLA1, and the winner went on to represent Austria at the VR World Championships in Las Vegas, reaching the semifinals.She emphasized that VR Tennis has since been successfully integrated as a hybrid event format at the Erste Bank Open: “We don’t want tennis players to move to VR – we want VR players to move to tennis. The same can happen with the Ski Challenge: engage young digital audiences and lead them step by step into real-world sports.”
Fritz Hutter, renowned sports journalist and Head of Content at Sportpass Austria, highlighted the value of balancing digital and physical experiences: “Anything that leads people to become active, I’m all for it. The potential is huge.” He stressed that digital solutions should be seen as valuable complements rather than replacements: “The key is to make sure the digital world becomes a springboard for real movement – not a substitute for it.”
Roland König, President of the Vienna Ski Association, agreed, emphasizing the importance of such innovations especially in urban environments: “We must use every opportunity to get children and young people excited about skiing. In a city, this is an exciting way to do it.” König noted ongoing discussions with Martin Dolezal about ski simulators, artificial slopes, and indoor facilities that could give young talents access to winter sports even without frequent mountain trips: “Virtual technologies and movement-based systems like the Ski Challenge are ideal additions to this infrastructure and can reignite enthusiasm for snow sports.”
Host Intersport Winninger: Tradition Meets Future
The venue itself, Intersport Winninger in Vienna-Stadlau, was a perfect fit. “Winninger is one of the few family-run companies with such an extensive network of stores – and a reliable partner of sports for decades,” said Martin Dolezal. Dominik Winninger, representing the family business, gave insights into the company’s scale: “We operate twelve branches, from Parndorf in Burgenland to Steyr. Stadlau is one of our largest and strongest locations, especially in ski hardware – an ideal setting for this event.”
Conclusion
The Wien Ski Connect event impressively demonstrated how digital movement technologies can create genuine enthusiasm for winter sports.The Ski Challenge – a true piece of Austrian gaming history – is carving its way into the future, becoming a bridge between digital activation and real-world movement in the snow.
About Wien Ski Connect
Wien Ski Connect is the business and networking platform of the Vienna Ski Association.Its goal is to connect sports, business, and community, foster innovation, and shape the future of winter sports together.More information: https://www.skiaustria.wien/de/businessclub
Fotocredits: philipphutter
Text: Martin Obermayr
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