Mobile floodlight solution
At the end of January, the finish slope of the Planai becomes the annual showplace of the Ski World Cup circuit - in 2025 for the first time with a new mobile floodlight system in the upper section of the giant slalom.
The legendary night race in Schladming has been a fixture on the Ski World Cup circuit since 1997 and thrills thousands of fans every year. The night giant slalom, which will be held for the third time in a row in 2025, has now established itself as an exciting addition. An innovative, sustainable solution was developed for the optimal illumination of the upper section of the giant slalom course: a mobile floodlight system that combines state-of-the-art LED technology with flexibility and environmental friendliness.
The idea for this innovation came from Planai. A team of experts consisting of Manuel Wöhrer, Reinfried Prugger, Daniel Gerhardter and Georg Knauß, in collaboration with Philips and PS-Consulting from Altenmarkt, developed a concept that meets both sporting requirements and ecological demands.
The mobile system comprises 11 masts with a total of 108 LED lamps and provides an average light intensity of 1,500 lux. For the installation, the Planai relies on environmentally friendly screw anchors instead of concrete foundations - a process that protects nature and is barely visible.
"The development of this solution shows how innovative ideas make forward-looking projects in winter sports possible. It is a further step that positions Schladming as a pioneer in sustainable major ski events," emphasizes Dir. Georg Bliem, Managing Director of Planai-Hochwurzen-Bahnen GmbH.
The mobile floodlight system also takes the surroundings into account. In the immediate vicinity of the giant slalom start is a large housing estate with accommodation facilities. A fixed installation of 25-meter-high floodlight masts would have severely impaired the residential environment. With the mobile solution, however, an environmentally and resident-friendly alternative was found.
After its use at the World Cup races on 28 and 29 January 2025 in Schladming - with the night giant slalom and night race - the mobile system will be used at the World Ski Championships in Saalbach. Its versatility also makes it a sustainable and innovative solution for other sporting events.
