A big fan of the Silvretta Ski Arena Samnaun/Ischgl
Ski World Champion Martin Hangl
By Bettina Notter
During the winter season, Martin is very busy with his business. To switch off and recharge his batteries, he takes a few hours 2-3 times a week and devotes himself to his great passion, skiing, together with his wife Lies. He can often be found on the slopes with regular customers or friends. Martin loves skiing in a group with like-minded people.
Martin is enthusiastic about the Silvretta Ski Arena, he knows the facts down to the smallest detail and goes into raptures when he shows guests the dimensions of the ski area:
- 45 state-of-the-art mountain railways and lifts
- 239 kilometres of perfectly groomed pistes
- Snow guaranteed from November to the beginning of May due to the altitude of the ski area up to almost 3000 m above sea level and modern snow-making facilities
- Downhill runs up to 11 km long
- 85 pistes and runs, of which 24% are blue, 47% red and 29% black pistes
- a ski area for beginners, pleasure skiers and excellent skiers
Martin's tip: The Smugglers' Round GOLD; skiers explore the border area on the tracks of smugglers. The round is quite demanding with 37.2 kilometres of pistes and 6870 metres of altitude.
Int. OVO Grand Prix Sils Maria 1974
Martin Hangl on the podium with Marc Girardelli, both are still close friends today.
You need passion, a willingness to perform and a sporting, family environment.
Martin Hangl inherited his enthusiasm for skiing and the corresponding talent from his mother Caroline Hangl-Prinz. She was the first woman to train as a patented ski instructor in Samnaun.
As a child, Martin Hangl spent every free minute with his local skiing colleagues on the Clüs lift and the Musella lift. There he acquired the technical skills for his later skiing career.
Although the talent for skiing runs in the family, Martin Hangl never had the dream or goal of competing in the World Cup as a child and teenager. The competitions with like-minded people and the friendships in the children's and youth squads were the greatest things for him. He is still in close contact with many of his racing colleagues today.
Through my work in the sports shops in Samnaun and Ischgl, winter sports and skiing have remained central to my life to this day.
With start number 1 I managed an aggressive, courageous and faultless drive. When you are in the lead with start number 1, you have to wait a long time and tremble until all the favourites have reached the finish.
The joy in the family and among the village population was enormous. The ski destination of Samnaun had its first world champion.
From 1981 to 1991 Martin Hangl skied in all disciplines in the World Cup. He took part in 4 World Championships and one Olympics. The result was 8 podium places in the World Cup, 3 of which were victories: 2 Super-G and 1 Giant Slalom.
After serious injuries and several operations, Martin Hangl retired from ski racing in 1991.
The transition to working life
For Martin Hangl it was always clear that he would return to Samnaun after his retirement from top-class sport and join the family business.
Joining the family business was a big challenge. Unfortunately, I found that I lacked the education, knowledge and understanding of entrepreneurship and management. I had to acquire industry and management knowledge above all. My persistence and perseverance, my passion and commitment from top-class sport came in handy here.
In 1991 he completed his ski instructor training and then trained as a ski school manager. In 1993 he took over the management of Hangl's Sport und Mode. In 1996 the Hangl siblings opened two sports and fashion stores in Ischgl, for which Martin Hangl is jointly responsible. In 2002, the Hangl family founded the 1st Swiss Ski and Snowboard School. Since then, Martin Hangl has been running the ski school.
Enthusiasm for the winter destination Samnaun
Martin Hangl can look back with pleasure on 11 years of board work at Samnaun Tourism. At the same time, Martin Hangl was also an OC member of various winter and summer events, the aim of which was to generate overnight stays in the off-peak periods and to make the destination of Samnaun internationally known.
Martin Hangl was significantly involved in the following events, among others:
- Swiss Snow Happening - Swiss Ski Instructors Championships 2013
- WASC - World Airline Championships 2015
- ISIA Ski Instructors World Championships 2017
- Mountain Guide World Championships 2018
- annual European Formation Skiing Championships since 2015
- annual International Silvretta Pupils Cup since 2003
Samnaun Winter Fairy Tale
Mystical winter atmospheres have enchanted Martin Hangl since childhood.
He goes into raptures when he describes the drive from the still autumnal Engadine to wintry Samnaun. Within a very short time, you climb 900 metres in altitude on the narrow and winding mountain road and reach the snow-covered Samnaun valley.
The Samnaun snow world touches the soul. Mountains and trees are covered with snow, and in the silent winter landscape you only hear the crunch of your own footsteps in the snow. Technology and speed have changed, but the mountains remain mountains, the mountain people remain down-to-earth.
Snowy landscapes enchant us with magical moments and attract many people to the mountains, not only for snow sports, but simply to be there.
Nothing stands in the way of the winter experience in Samnaun.
Martin Hangl today
Martin Hangl is the owner of various companies in Samnaun and Ischgl (AT) together with four siblings. He is the managing director of Hangl's Sport und Mode in Samnaun and Ischgl and the 1st Swiss Ski and Snowboard School. With his wife Lies he has three grown-up daughters, Seraina, Patricia and Sarah. The compatibility of partnership, family, career, friendships and hobbies is very important to him.
I have been with my wife Lies for 36 years and married for 28 years. We are a well-functioning team in all areas.
