The Nordic history of the Seefeld region - Tyrol's high plateau

Already three times, the Olympic Flame burned in the region of Seefeld, which was the venue for the Nordic disciplines at the Olympic Winter Games 1964, 1976, and the Olympic Youth Winter Games 2012. In addition, a sports-historical premiere took place here in 1949: the first Winter Deaflympics – the winter games for deaf athletes, establishing an international sports tradition that still exists today. Seefeld has also made history as host for Nordic World Championships: The Nordic Ski World Championships 1985 and 2019 solidified the region’s reputation as one of the leading destinations for Nordic winter sports.

The first Winter Deaflympics took place from January 26 to 30, 1949, in Seefeld in Tyrol, and marked the beginning of the winter games for deaf athletes. At that time, 33 athletes from five countries participated.

During the 1964 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck, Seefeld also received significant infrastructural improvements: The train station was modernized, and the large north-south bypass was constructed on the eastern edge of the village. At that time, cross-country skiing was still exclusively a competitive sport – associated with intense training and extreme endurance. International teams used Seefeld as a training location, and initial attempts were made to create practice trails for optimal conditions. At first, the grooming was done by tractors and ski-equipped construction workers, later, even a ski-doo imported from Canada was used. This led to the birth of the first movement in Seefeld that established cross-country skiing as a recreational activity – then known as "ski hiking." Thus, the region provided a crucial impetus to transform cross-country skiing from a competitive niche to broad, experience-oriented use.

For the 1976 Olympic Winter Games, sustainable projects were initiated in Seefeld. One of the most significant developments was the establishment of the pedestrian zone, made possible by the construction of the Olympic Road (Northern Bypass) and the Gschwandtkopf Tunnel (Southern Bypass). Today, this is one of the oldest pedestrian zones in Tyrol. In addition, the town hall was built, which from then on also housed the information office of the tourism association.

From a sports perspective, 1976 brought a significant improvement in infrastructure for Nordic skiing: The trail network was massively expanded, and for the first time, a swimming pool and a sauna were created at the high plateau with the Sports and Congress Center (SKZ). During the Olympic Winter Games, the building served as a press center. With these developments, the spark was finally ignited that made Seefeld the leading region for Nordic sports.

Another milestone year for Seefeld was 1985 with the hosting of the FIS Nordic Ski World Championships. For the first time, businesses registered with professional machines for trail preparation, creating two perfectly groomed tracks – an innovation that facilitated faster overtaking maneuvers during competitions. The WM hall was used as a press center, and a monumental memorial was erected at Lake Wildsee: the "Trident" symbolizes the two Olympic Games and the World Championship.

In the summer of 2010, Seefeld was further equipped for the future of Nordic sports. A modern biathlon and ski jumping facility as well as a new roller track for summer training were constructed. The biathlon facility was brought up to the latest technological standards to provide perfect training and competition conditions.

With the experience and expertise of the Austrian Ski Association (ÖSV), the outstanding infrastructure, award-winning trails, and sustainable sports competence, the region impressed once again – and received the bid for hosting the FIS Nordic Ski World Championships 2019 for the second time in 2014 in Barcelona.

The FIS Nordic Ski Championships 2019 in Seefeld were a major sporting event with 12 competition days, 22 medal events, and 204,400 visitors. To create optimal conditions, extensive modernization efforts were undertaken. Among other things, the trail network was sustainably optimized, a snow-making pond at Gschwandtkopf was constructed, and the Nordic snow-making system was improved, the WM Tower in the Seefeld Sports Arena was built, and the Seefeld train station was modernized while preserving its historical protection, made barrier-free, and given a car-free forecourt. Additionally, parts of the World Championship Hall were renovated and expanded to serve as a press center and multipurpose hall. These measures contributed to making the World Championship 2019 an unforgettable experience for athletes and guests.

Since the construction of the first ski jump in Seefeld in 1931, the associated arena has been the heart of Nordic skiing in Tyrol's high plateau. Initially, the jump was named Jahnschanze, before being renamed Toni-Seelos-Schanze in 1948 in honor of the Seefeld ski legend Toni Seelos. The arena at its feet remained nameless for a long time – until the 1964 Olympics, when the term Olympia-Arena became established.

Later, it became known as Casino Arena Seefeld, before being renamed WM-Arena during the Nordic Ski World Championships 2019. A few years later, for linguistic reasons* and due to its use for various summer sports, it was renamed Seefeld Sports Arena.

Since 2025, the facility has been referred to as a versatile sports and recreation area under the new name Arena365.

*There simply wasn't a good English equivalent. The translation WC-Arena was immediately ruled out for well-understandable reasons.

In January 2027, the Seefeld region, along with Innsbruck, is proudly hosting the 21st Winter Deaflympics. After more than seven decades, the Winter Games for the Deaf return to one of their original locations.

Since 2004, the “Nordic Combined Triple” World Cup has been held annually in Seefeld – a highlight for athletes and spectators alike. Another top sporting event is the Ganghoferlauf Leutasch, part of the renowned Euroloppet marathon series.

Today, the Seefeld region offers 245 kilometers of expertly groomed trails, providing ideal conditions for Nordic skiing. Snowshoeing, a night trail, and biathlon taster courses complement the diverse Nordic offerings.