Kandahar is a classic World Cup downhill ski course in Bavaria, Germany, opened in 1936. It is located at the Garmisch Classic ski area on the Zugspitze, above Garmisch-Partenkirchen.

Since 1954, the competition called Arlberg-Kandahar races have been held here, which is rotating with other notable downhill ski courses in Austria, Switzerland, France, and Italy.

In 2009, the new "Kandahar 2" course opened, parallel to the original, which became "Kandahar 1". With a max. incline of 42.6 degrees (92%), it has the 2nd steepest gradient on the World Cup circuit.

Kandahar 1

The name origin The course was named after Sir Frederick Roberts, a British Victorian era major general who was known as "Baron of Kandahar", who led the Kabul Field Force in the Second Anglo-Afghan War and defeated Ayub Khan at the Battle of Kandahar in southern Afghanistan. The Kandahar Ski Club of Mürren, Switzerland, was founded by Arnold Lunn and other British skiers in early 1924.

Women's course The original Kandahar 1 course was built for the Olympic debut of alpine skiing in 1936. Since 2009, it is used only for women's World Cup speed events, as a new parallel, more demanding "Kandahar 2" downhill ski course opened for the men's events.

The Kandahar 1 course starts on "Tröglhang" at (AA), and follows mainly the old men's route. After the "Schußanger" with two curves, "Himmelreich" jump follows where the Super-G start is located, then "Bödele". Then comes the "Waldeck" with 85% gradient, the steepest section in women's circuit and a technically very demanding traverse. From 2009, course from there continues by newly built route where also giant slalom starts; the "Eishang" is bypassed by via the "Ramwiesen" and via the "Höllentor" it returns to the original Kandahar in "Hölle", the steep section. Then passing the "FIS Schneise", a sloping run that, after a hard left-hand bend, ends in the men's course just before the "Tauber-Schuss".

K1 course sections Tröglhang Olympia-Kurve Panorama-Sprung Schußanger Himmelreich Alte Quelle Bödele Waldeck (85%) Ramwiesen Höllentor Hölle FIS Schneise Tauberschuss Finish

Kandahar 2

Men's course

A new downhill run for men in 2009, "Kandahar 2" shares the same start and finish with the original course. It begins at the original start at (AA) on Kreuzjoch mountain, reaching speed up to after the "S-Kurve". After the "Tröglhang", the steepest section until 2008, the course continues into newly built route in 2009 to "Olympia-Kurve" and then to "Panorama-Sprung".

After that comes the "Alte Quelle", before the route at the "Bödele" returns into the original Kandahar to the start of the giant slalom above "Eishang" and after the cable car jump (), the racers turn right into the second newly designed part at the "Kramersprung" (). Then to the next newly section called "Padöls" and into "Auf der Mauer" flat passage. Next is "Frei Fall", with 92% incline, the absolute steepest section in this competition. At the end, last couple of hundred metres, routes joins with the old original course into the "Tauber-Schuss" and a jump just before the finish line.

K2 course sections Starthang S-kurve Tröglhang Olympia-Kurve Panorama-Sprung Schußanger Himmelreich Alte Quelle Bödele Eishang Seilbahnsprung Kramersprung Padöls Auf der Mauer Freier Fall (92%) Tauberschuss Finish

Olympics Men's events EventTypeDateGoldSilverBronze 1936 KB7–9 February 1936 Birger Ruud Franz Pfnür Gustav Lantschner

Women's events EventTypeDateGoldSilverBronze 1936 KB7–8 February 1936 Laila Schou Nilsen Lisa Resch Käthe Grasegger

World Championships

Men's events EventTypeDateGoldSilverBronze 1978 DH29 January 1978   Josef Walcher Michael Veith Werner Grissmann KB(DH) 29 January 1978  (GS) 2 February 1978  (SL) 5 February 1978   Andreas Wenzel Sepp Ferstl Pete Patterson 2011 SG9 February 2011   Christof Innerhofer Hannes Reichelt Ivica Kostelić DH12 February 2011   Erik Guay    Didier Cuche Christof Innerhofer SC14 February 2011   Aksel Lund Svindal Christof Innerhofer Peter Fill GS18 February 2011   Ted Ligety Cyprien Richard Philipp Schörghofer

Women's events EventTypeDateGoldSilverBronze 2011 SG8 February 2011   Elisabeth Görgl Julia Mancuso Maria Riesch SC11 February 2011   Anna Fenninger Tina Maze Anja PärsonDH13 February 2011   Elisabeth Görgl Lindsey Vonn Maria Riesch GS17 February 2011   Tina Maze Federica Brignone Tessa Worley

Team event EventTypeDateGoldSilverBronze 2011 PG16 February 2011  

World Cup The World Cup circuit debuted in January 1967.

Gen. Frederick RobertsRoland CollombinSteve PodborskiChristoph Gruber"Baron of Kandahar"(course is named after him)won record3 downhillswon record3 downhillswon record3 super-Gs Hermann MaierLindsey VonnLara Gut-Behramiwon record 3 super-Gsand record 5 events in totalwon record 5 downhillsand record 8 events in totalwon record4 super-Gs

Men