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Longines Returns to Kitzbühel

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January 2013


Longines’ longstanding association with competitive skiing started in Chamonix in 1933. The Swiss watchmaker began timing the Hahnenkamm races in Kitzbühel in 1948 and has carried out this task more than 50 times since then.

The finish line of the Hahnenkamm race in 1969, where Longines was in charge of the timekeeping.
The finish line of the Hahnenkamm race in 1969, where Longines was in charge of the timekeeping.

In 2013 Longines, which is the official timekeeper for the International Ski Federation’s (FIS) Alpine Ski World Cup and World Championship races, will be back in the popular Tyrolean resort. Kitzbühel is well known for its demanding Streif piste – renowned as the most difficult and fastest on the circuit. Many great champion skiers have tackled this legendary piste where Longines has helped to develop the technical side of the competition for several decades, introducing a number of innovative ideas to improve the timing and the public’s enjoyment of the race. In 1993, for example, Longines introduced a new technology whereby the racers’ intermediate times could be shown on television alongside the time of the fastest competitor for comparison.

The Longines Saint-Imier Collection has been inspired by the origins of Longines' watchmaking tradition. The sleek lines and the distinctive lugs provide these new models with a subtle balance between classical and contemporary design. With a diameter of 41 mm, this chronograph is fitted with a column-wheel movement L688, developed and produced exclusively for Longines. Its case in steel displays a black dial.
The Longines Saint-Imier Collection has been inspired by the origins of Longines’ watchmaking tradition. The sleek lines and the distinctive lugs provide these new models with a subtle balance between classical and contemporary design. With a diameter of 41 mm, this chronograph is fitted with a column-wheel movement L688, developed and produced exclusively for Longines. Its case in steel displays a black dial.

In addition to its role as official timekeeper, Longines will partner with the famous KitzCharity Trophy, a race where professional skiers compete against celebrities on a section of the Streif piste. In order to help the event raise funds to improve the life of local needy mountain farmers and their families, Longines will compete in the race with its own team of skiers, made up of Richard Strohmeier, Longines VP Finance and two Austrian celebrities, Armin Assinger and Matthias Lanzinger.

At the end of the 2012/2013 ski season, Longines will present its Longines Rising Ski Stars prize to the two leading young skiers who take part in the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup. The best female skier under 21 years-old and the best male skier under 23 will each receive a trophy, a Longines watch and a cheque for CHF 20,000. This new award reflects Longines’ continued commitment to supporting young athletes. The brand already shows its commitment through the Longines Future Tennis Aces tournament in Roland Garros for children under 13, as well as the Longines Future Racing Stars at the Prix de Diane Longines for promising young jockeys from France, the UK, Germany, Ireland and Italy.

The Norwegian skier Aksel Lund Svindal, Longines Ambassador of Elegance, with the official watch of the 2012/2013 ski season: a chronograph of The Longines Saint-Imier Collection.
The Norwegian skier Aksel Lund Svindal, Longines Ambassador of Elegance, with the official watch of the 2012/2013 ski season: a chronograph of The Longines Saint-Imier Collection.

The official watch for the season – the Longines Saint-Imier Collection chronograph – features the L688.2 column-wheel movement developed and produced exclusively for Longines. The 41 mm diameter case is made of steel and the black dial displays the hours and minutes with a small seconds at 9 o’clock, a calendar between 4 and 5 o’clock and of course the chronograph functions: a centre sweep seconds, a 30-minute counter at 3 o’clock and a 12-hour counter at 6 o’clock. This model is mounted on a steel bracelet with a folding safety clasp.

Source: Longines