Felix Gottwald was born in Zell am See and made his World Cup debut at the age of 17. His sport, Nordic combined, joins ski jumping and cross-country skiing. Young people aged 10 to 15 can see two very different training tasks in the same event: technical jumping and endurance on skis.
The next step leads to a current club if this combination interests you. Check the Ski Austria youth page with your parents and ask which age group fits, what equipment is required and how much training and travel cost. The local route runs through Zell am See and Saalfelden in Pinzgau. This profile does not describe an activity in Salzburg City.
Where the work becomes concrete in Salzburg
Zell am See, SC Saalfelden and the World Cup
The Ski Austria profile published on 13 January 2026 names Zell am See as Gottwald's birthplace and SC Saalfelden as his club. He made his World Cup debut on 23 January 1993, ten days after his 17th birthday.
He won the overall World Cup in the 2000/01 season. Ski Austria also records 23 individual World Cup wins and 75 podium finishes. The dates give the career its proper scale: more than 18 years separate his debut and final World Cup race.
Seven Olympic medals across three host cities
The Austrian Olympic Committee profile lists three gold, one silver and three bronze medals. The bronze medals came at Salt Lake City 2002. Gottwald won two gold medals and one silver in Turin in 2006. He retired in 2007, returned in 2009 and gained his third team gold in Vancouver in 2010.
His final retirement came in 2011. The current Ski Austria account gives a total of 18 medals across the Olympic Games and World Championships. This profile keeps the seven Olympic medals separate from the wider major-event total.
The stadium in Uttenhofen
The City of Saalfelden operates the Felix Gottwald ski-jumping stadium in Uttenhofen. The facility opened in 1987. Following an expansion in 2004, the hills received a major modernisation between 2022 and 2024. The current site has K15, K30, K60 and K85 hills with summer surfaces.
In its report dated 30 September 2025 (30.09.2025), the State of Salzburg put the modernisation cost at about €5.2 million. The report says elite and youth jumpers train there. That statement gives no promise of open training. The city page announces a booking calendar and publishes no walk-in beginner time.
Why this can matter to teens
Felix Gottwald's record makes three decisions visible:
- Combine two disciplines: A jump lasts seconds. Cross-country skiing tests endurance over several kilometres. Training has to develop both tasks.
- Accept a long timeline: Eight years separate the 1993 World Cup debut and the overall title in 2001.
- Treat a break as a real decision: Gottwald retired in 2007, returned in 2009 and ended his career for good in 2011.
These are documented stages in one athlete's career. Your own sports path needs a pace that fits your body, school and daily life. Coaches and parents can help you judge workload and recovery.
For a wider choice inside the city, use SalzburgTeen's guide to sporty group ideas for young people. It helps you compare clubs with activities that have a lower entry threshold.
How to connect with this path
The current Ski Austria ski-jumping youth page describes first jumps with trained coaches and lists SK Saalfelden among the Salzburg clubs. The page confirms no permanent place for every young person aged 10 to 15.
Work through five questions together:
- Which age group can currently join?
- Is a supervised trial session available?
- Which skis and safety equipment must you own or borrow?
- What do club membership, training, equipment and travel cost together?
- How will you travel to Saalfelden and get home reliably?
What matters so this profile stays honest
As of 27 July 2026, Ski Austria and the Austrian Olympic Committee support the career record. The City of Saalfelden and the State of Salzburg document the stadium and its modernisation. The Ski Austria youth page provides the current public club route.
The stadium name establishes a local public connection. It gives no personal lesson with Felix Gottwald and no spontaneous access to a ski jump. The club decides current age groups, places, costs and equipment. Private contact details and private life stay outside this profile.
Conclusion
Felix Gottwald's path connects Zell am See, SC Saalfelden, a long World Cup career and seven Olympic medals. The stadium in Uttenhofen keeps that record visible in Pinzgau. Young people can take one concrete next step: check the official youth route with their parents and clarify the club, age group, costs, equipment and travel before the first session.