This year is the 40th anniversary of the death of Bruno Nöckler from Prettau, the most successful ski racer in the Ahrntal Valley to date.
The Europa Cup races this year on the Goasleitn are intended to remember an outstanding athlete and special person who died far too early on 18 August 1982 at the age of only 25 and who was also an up-and-coming star of the “Valanga Azzurra”, the famous Italian Ski Team from the 70s.
In his honour, a section of the piste on the Goasleitn is named after him.
“We cannot and must not forget Bruno Nöckler, neither as a person nor as a successful athlete. He remains in our memory as a sportsman, a down-to-earth person, with his genuine character and his spontaneous way of communication. Bruno’s example must live on indelibly, above all in our youth, who could learn from his behaviour not only honesty but also a love for sporting commitment and seriousness.”
Avv. Arrigo Gattai
(FISI President 1976-1987)
“Traditional Ahrntal expressions with a touch of hunter’s jargon – ready for any fun, but always a thoughtful mood in the back of his head – a sporting fighter – possessed by an irresistible passion for hunting – a friend and helper in difficult hours: these were the qualities that made my friend Bruno Nöckler more than just a sportsman. It was his irrepressible drive to achieve, his sporting ambition and – to say the truth – his Ahrntal stubbornness to which he owed his sporting achievements. But when I think of Bruno, it is more the person than the sportsman who remains in my memory. A person who, in a sports world that is only performance-oriented, was still able to be human, with all his faults and all his weaknesses, but also with a comradely attitude that is second to none.”
Gustav Thöni
“We were the boys from Prettau, the village at the far end of the Ahrntal Valley, and we were the worst equipped and you could literally see that we came from the backwoods, from the mountains. But we were the strongest! We were the strongest above all because we were gripped by boundless ambition and when we saw the other, far better equipped skiers a feeling of revenge arose in us – a feeling of “we will show them!“
Bruno Nöckler
“Waidmannheil (a local hunter’s greeting) was our greeting when we met again after our time off at home. If Bruno had shot something during this time, he would greet me with a beaming Waidmannsdank (a local hunter’s expression after a successful hunt). In general, our conversations were mostly about hunting. I was convinced, not only because of this common passion, that I would stay in close contact with Bruno even after his career as an active racer ended. But things ended up turning out differently.”
Sepp Messner
(former Chief Coach)
“At the Italian Championships 1980-81 in Pila, Nöckler had won the slalom and with the championship title also an all-included holiday trip to the South Sea Islands. Months passed and towards the end of the summer that holiday voucher still had not been used. A phone call to Prettau and I said to Bruno:
If you don’t go soon, the holiday period will be over.
Never mind, I have too much to do these days.
Can you really not take some time off?
No, I can’t.
It’s hunting season and there’s this darn capercaillie that’s been giving me the run-around far too long. If I don’t get him…!”
Marco Dal Fior
(Nevesport)
Born on 7 October 1956 at “Bruggen” in Prettau as the youngest of seven children
First time on skis at the age of 4
Attended primary school in Prettau and secondary school in St. Johann/Ahrntal
Successfully competed in races since his youth, but still missing support and encouragement most of the time
Training opportunities with his brother Vinzenz at the “Fiamme Oro” Alpine School in Moena
Discovered and supported by Alfons Thoma and Mario Cotelli
1974 Called up for the Italian national ski team
1974 Joins the sports group “Fiamme Gialle” of Predazzo
1975 First World Cup race
Competed in over 100 World Cup races, including 45 placings in the World Cup points rankings
World Cup points total 237
World record in advancement in the FIS points ranking (slalom)
1980 Engagement with Mares Niederkofler
1981 Birth of daughter Michaela
During a sightseeing trip on 18 August 1982 in New Zealand, where the Italian national team is staying for training, one of the team’s vehicles collides with an oncoming car that is misbehaving. Karl Pichler, Ilario Pegorari and Ivano Ruzza lose their lives in the incident, and with them Bruno Nöckler.
Italian champion 1981
Vice Italian Champion 1977, 1980, 1981, 1982
10th place – World Championships 1978 in Garmisch (GS)
6th place – 1980 Olympics in Lake Placid (GS)
5th place – World Championships 1982 in Schladming (GS)
9th place – World Championships 1982 in Schladming (Comb.)
3rd place – Furano 1977 (SL), Voss 1981 (GS).
4th place – Adelboden 1980 (GS), Schladming 1981 (GS), Are 1977 (GS)
5th place – Kitzbühel 1980 (SL)
6th place – Sterzing 1975 (SL), Madonna di Campiglio 1980 (GS), Zwiesel 1978 (GS)
7th place – Copper Mnt. 1976 (SL), Wengen 1977 (SL), Sun Valley 1977 (GS), Waterville 1980 (GS), Aprica 1982 (GS)
8th place – Garmisch 1981 (SL), Garmisch 1976 (SL), Sun Valley 1977 (SL), Zwiesel 1978 (SL), Ebnat Kappel 1981 (GS) and Aspen 1981 (GS)
9th place – Berchtesgaden 1977 (SL), Kitzbühel 1979 (SL)
10th place – Furano 1981 (GS), Adelboden 1981 (GS), Isère 1976 (GS), Adelboden 1978 (GS), Madonna di Campiglio 1979 (GS), Cortina 1982 (GS)
Bruno Nöckler celebrated his last two victories at European Cup races in Mount Hutt (New Zealand) on 9 and 10 August 1982.
