Munich (DE), 20th September 2016. The tradition continues: At the
183rd staging of Munich’s Oktoberfest, BMW once again invited its
sports ambassadors and many prominent athletes from various
disciplines to the traditional “BMW Wiesn Sport-Stammtisch” (BMW Wiesn
Sport regulars table) at the largest and most famous fair in the world.
For the seventh time, the winter sports, outdoor sports and
motorsport stars met in the cosy atmosphere of the “Käfer Wiesn
tavern” to discuss the sporting events of 2016 and the upcoming winter
sports season. Before that, the sports personalities took an
entertaining tour of the fairground – stopping off at the traditional
“Münchner Rutschn” (the Munich slide), the bumper cars and the
test-your-strength machine.
The guests included former world class biathlete Magdalena Neuner
(DE), who was revealed as the BMW Brand Ambassador last week. In
addition to Magdalena Neuner, many other highly decorated sports
personalities didn’t want to miss out on a trip to the Oktoberfest.
BMW guests from winter sports (selection):
Magdalena Neuner (DE), BMW Brand Ambassador
Rosi Mittermaier
(DE), BMW Winter Sports Ambassador
Christian Neureuther (DE),
BMW Winter Sports Ambassador
Fritz Fischer (DE), BMW Biathlon
Ambassador
Felix Loch (DE), Luge Olympic winner
Georg Hackl
(DE), Luge Olympic winner
Norbert Loch (DE), Luge national coach
René Spies (DE), Bob national coach
Francesco Friedrich
(DE), Bob world champion
Anja Schneiderheinze (DE), Bob Olympic
winner
Tina Hermann (DE), Skeleton world champion
BMW guests from motorsport (selection):
Jens Marquardt (DE), BMW Motorsport Director
Marco Wittmann
(DE), BMW DTM driver
Bruno Spengler (CA), BMW DTM driver
António Félix da Costa (PT), BMW DTM driver
Martin Tomczyk
(DE), BMW DTM driver
Markus Reiterberger (DE), BMW Motorrad
rider
Jordi Torres (ES), BMW Motorrad rider
Raffaele de
Rosa (IT), BMW Motorrad rider
Mikko Hirvonen (FI), MINI rally
driver
Michel Périn (FR), MINI rally co-driver
Other BMW guests:
Stefan Glowacz (DE), BMW Outdoors Ambassador
Prince Leopold of
Bavaria (DE), BMW Group Classic Ambassador
Quotes from the 2016 BMW Wiesn Sport regulars table:
Magdalena Neuner (BMW Brand Ambassador):
“As I
have not been a BMW Brand Ambassador for long, this is the perfect
opportunity for me to get to know the other members of the BMW family.
They are all seasoned sportsmen and women, and I am proud to be a part
of this group. Up to now, all the events I have attended with BMW have
been very relaxed and great fun. That goes for today at the
Oktoberfest too. I am particularly pleased about today, as it will
probably be my only chance this year to go to the Oktoberfest.”
Prince Leopold of Bavaria (BMW Group Classic Ambassador):
“One thing that many people may not know is that there is only
an Oktoberfest because my great, great, great grandfather, King Ludwig
I, married Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen 183 years ago.
Back then, he invited pretty much all of Munich to a big party. That
was the origin of the Oktoberfest. Obviously the Oktoberfest we know
and love now has nothing to do with that anymore. Everything is much
bigger and more spectacular. Every year, I look forward to meeting up
with my fellow sportsmen and women at Theresienwiese, and to having a
chat with them. We are all one big family at BMW, and you really get a
sense for that here.”
Marco Wittmann (BMW DTM driver):
“This is a
great week: yesterday I returned from holiday, today I am at the BMW
Wiesn Sport-Stammtisch, and on Thursday I head off to Budapest. The
regulars table is a tradition. It is a particularly nice opportunity
before a race weekend to switch off a bit, and recharge your batteries.”
Martin Tomczyk (BMW DTM driver):
“The
Oktoberfest is a tradition. However, the BMW Wiesn Sport-Stammtisch
has also established itself in recent years, and it is great fun to
meet up with the sportsmen and women, and to chat and celebrate
together. It is also particularly nice to see new faces here. This
year, for example, Magdalena Neuner is the new BMW Brand Ambassador.
It is really fascinating to chat to such an exceptional athlete,
whether about sport or family. That is what makes this event so attractive.“
António Félix da Costa (BMW DTM driver):
“It’s
my first time at the Oktoberfest. I am really amazed how big this
thing is. It’s not like a festival, it’s like a big theme park, where
people come to party. The BMW family has a lot of highly professional
athletes, and I have massive respect for each of them. It is very nice
to meet them today, and it is going to be a fun day.”
Rosi Mittermaier (BMW Winter Sports
Ambassador):
“Even after so many years, I still really
enjoy attending the BMW Wiesn Sport-Stammtisch. As a child, I used to
come here every year with my sister and grandparents. Things have
changed a bit since then, but the heart of the Oktoberfest is the
same. The nice thing about this get-together, is that you get the
opportunity to meet up again, to chat in peace, and to stroll around
the Oktoberfest site.”
Fritz Fischer (BMW Biathlon Ambassador):
“For
me, the BMW trip to the Oktoberfest is like an early birthday
celebration, as I will be 60 years old in two days. This is the first
time that I have been to the BMW Wiesn Sport-Stammtisch, and I am
honoured to have been invited. We have the best of the best in its
sports here. You can feel the close bond between everyone. It is great
to be part of the BMW family.”
Stefan Glowacz (BMW Outdoors Ambassador):
“I
always like going to the BMW Wiesn Sport-Stammtisch. It is a unique
opportunity to meet fellow sportsmen and women from other sports,
whose paths would not usually cross. It is really enjoyable chatting
to these athletes. I am really interested in how they train, and enjoy
taking inspiration from them. I find it very important to take a
broader view, and this helps me to manage my own training regimes. To
be honest, I am not someone who would normally go to the Oktoberfest,
but to do so with BMW is a welcome distraction. This way, the
Oktoberfest is great fun.”
Anja Schneiderheinze (Bob Olympic
winner):
“Today is my first time at the Oktoberfest. I
did not overestimate the size of it. I am looking forward to spending
the day with BMW. It is sure to be a great event. It is nice to be
able to wear my traditional Bavarian costume, which we received at the
final of the world cup – I wouldn’t have had one otherwise. After a
hard summer with some intense training, I am very happy that the
season is about to get started again. That is what you wait for as an athlete.”
Francesco Friedrich (Bob world champion):
“A
Saxon in Bavaria – a good match. My training in the military meant I
was often near the Chiemsee lake in Bad Endorf. Bavaria is a very nice
corner of the world. Therefore, I always really enjoy returning. We
sportsmen are usually always in competitive mode. It is simply in our
nature to always want to prove ourselves. However, even though we
might really go for it on the Münchner Rutschen slide, the BMW Wiesn
Sport-Stammtisch is primarily about having fun. I always look forward
to visiting the Oktoberfest, as it is rather special to be able to
meet and chat with athletes from such a wide range of sports.”
René Spies (Bob national coach):
“This is my first visit to the Oktoberfest, and I first need to
get to know the Bavarian customs. That is why I have turned up without
the traditional Bavarian costume this year. However, that will be a
different story in 2017. The BMW Wiesn Sport-Stammtisch is aa nice
change for us, as we are in the middle of our pre-season preparations.
The season kicks off in four weeks, so it is obviously nice to have
the odd day off and recharge your batteries. We are certainly going
into the new season with a good feeling.”
Georg Hackl (Luge Olympic winner):
“The BMW
Wiesn Sport-Stammtisch is a nice event every year. We sportsmen and
women know each other now, and always look forward to meeting up again
in such a nice atmosphere. It is always rather special to receive an
invitation from our technology partner BMW, that supports us in many
areas of our sport – this year it is like a belated 50th birthday present.”
Felix Loch (Luge Olympic winner):
“The visit to
Oktoberfest with BMW is a nice tradition, and a permanent fixture on
my calendar. I always enjoy coming back. I had two or three weeks’
holiday in the summer, and am now itching to finally get back on the
ice. Preparations have run smoothly so far. The world championships
are just around the corner, and the first real test is not far away,
in the form of the opening round of the world cup. Let’s see how we
get on. But today is all about switching off and enjoying the
Oktoberfest atmosphere.”
Tina Hermann (Skeleton world champion):
“As a skeleton athlete, you have to enjoy speed. You cannot
afford to be afraid of this speed, otherwise you may as well give up
immediately. Therefore, it is the fast funfair rides that I really
enjoy at the Oktoberfest. Last week, I was a BMW guest at the DTM, and
was able to take a ride out on the track. That was fantastic and a
great experience for me. I would like to thank BMW again for that
opportunity. It is fascinating to meet the drivers and other sportsmen
and women away from their usual workplace, and to find out what they
get up to every day. It is often not obvious how much work goes into
every sport. You definitely get a lot of respect for every single sport.”
Markus Reiterberger (BMW Motorrad rider):
“The
Oktoberfest is one of the highlights of the year for us Bavarians, and
we have to visit it at least once. It is also always great to meet BMW
colleagues from a wide range of different sports. In motorcycle
racing, you mostly find yourself socialising with other motorcycle
people. Therefore, an event like this offers the opportunity to look
beyond biking and chat to other sportsmen and women who are supported
by BMW. It is a bit like a day’s holiday: you meet nice people, go on
a ride or two, and maybe drink the odd beer. A really successful event
and a nice diversion from the everyday routine of a racer.”
Mikko Hirvonen (MINI rally driver):
“I can’t
quite decide what I like most: the sand dunes on the Dakar Rally or
the Oktoberfest. They both have their own particular appeal. Events
like this BMW Wiesn Sport-Stammtisch are important, because you have
to be able to switch off and relax sometimes. Having fun is also part
of a successful preparation. The 2017 Dakar is not yet imminent, but
it is getting ever closer. So far, everything is going to plan.”