PRIZE Money 

At the end of the winter season 2018, we could see some confusion on social media about differences in prize money in international and national competitive sporting events (almost all sports) between women and men and also found a reference to the Mountain Attack. Therefore, we would like to inform you.

The Mountain Attack is a privately organised race (NMC GmbH) which receives no funding in the classical sense from state authorities. The Mountain Attack is not an association and therefore completely free of national or international association structures and regulations.

We know that all participants in the Mountain Attack reach their personal performance limits and this requires extensive and intensive preparation. Whether young or old, man or woman, participants of the Schattberg Race, Tour or Marathon, the training is extensive and time-intensive for everyone.

The Mountain Attack is one of the hardest, most famous and popular ski touring races in the world, a cult show within the community with many benefits for participants, fans on site and viewers via live stream. For all these services we can provide an event-budget thanks to the sponsors, partners and participants (limited number). This allows us to also pay EUR 7,000 as prize money. For all non-Austrian winners of the prize money we also have to pay the mandatory value-added tax to the state.

We had the following 3 ideas considering the split of the prize money:

Option I

Same starting fee, same track, same training, same performance - therefore the 3 fastest in each category (Marathon & Tour) get the prize money. This would result in no woman being able to win any prize money, the prize money for the men would even be more.

Example 2017:

Winning time Ladies Marathon was 3:03:09 that would mean rank number 39 in the men's ranking.

Winning time Ladies Tour was 2:19:12 and would mean rank number 66 in the men's ranking.

Option II

Strict division of the prize money according to participants men vs. women (marathon & tour) in percentage:

Example 2017: (maximum number of participants 900, sick or cancelled: 36)

Men 785

Women 79

This means only 10% of all participants were women.

This would also mean that only 10% of the prize money, EUR 700,-, would have to be distributed between the 6 award winners.

Option III

We keep the division of the price money in the following relation:

Men overall EUR 4,680

Women overall EUR 2,320

The decision of the OK team

When choosing option I or II the difference between women and men would even get bigger or for option I the part for the women would be lost completely. This is why we chose to stick to option III.