News After an absence of several years, Longines is reprising its role as official timekeeper for skiing competitions in Kitzbühel. To mark the occasion it is launching the «Longines Rising Ski Stars» award intended for young athletes.
Absent for a number of years from the Kitzbühel slopes, Longines announced its return in style on 26 October this year. At a press conference held in Sölden it also introduced its new «Longines Rising Ski Stars» award, which reflects its support for young sportsmen and women. The watch manufacturer, which will be the official timekeeper of the World Cup and Alpine Skiing World Championships organised by the International Skiing Federation (FIS), also unveiled the official watch of the season, a Longines Saint-Imier Collection chronograph.
The new prize «Longines Rising Ski Stars» will be awarded at the end of the 2012/2013 ski season to the best young female (under 21) and male (under 23) athlete taking part in the FIS World Cup. The prize consists of a trophy, a Longines watch and a cheque for 20’000 Swiss francs; it will be awarded at the closing of the season.
Charles Villoz, Vice-President of sales Longines International, said: «This new competition reflects the commitment of the brand to supporting young sportswomen and men, just as the «Longines Future Tennis Aces» tournament organized by the brand in Roland-Garros for young tennis talents under the age of 13 and the «Longines Future Racing Stars» race for young and promising European jockeys from France, England, Germany, Ireland and Italy that is run during the Prix de Diane Longines».
FIS Chief Race Director for the men’s Alpine, Günter Hujara commented: «When you know how difficult it is to break through in the very competitive and tight field of the world’s top athletes competing in the men’s FIS Alpine Ski World Cup, it is absolutely correct to focus on the extraordinary performances by the best young athletes and bring them to the spotlight of the global audiences».
Atle Skaardal, FIS Chief Race Director for the ladies’ Alpine, added: «This is an excellent initiative. Besides underlining the great cooperation between FIS and Longines, it will provide an additional highlight for the circuit to be keenly followed by the fans and will surely also be well-received by the racers».
As official timekeeper for the FIS Ski World Cup and World Ski Championships, Longines is also proud to be back in Kitzbühel. The brand, which began its long association with competitive ski in Chamonix in 1933, had provided its timekeeping know-how for the Hahnenkamm races for the first time in 1948. For many decades, Longines has accompanied the technological development of this prestigious competition, bringing many innovations to the increasing requirements of timekeeping and the audience.
The official watch of the season is the Longines Saint-Imier Collection Chronograph, a model fitted with the L.688.2 column-wheel movement exclusively developed and produced for Longines by ETA. The case is made of steel and has a diameter of 41 mm while the black dial shows the hours and minutes and has a small second at 9 o’clock and a date aperture as well as the chronograph functions: a center sweep seconds, a 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock and a 12-hour counter at 6 o’clock. This model is fitted with a steel bracelet having a folding safety clasp.
November 13, 2012
