The oldest records regarding skiing have been found in Norway and are dated back to 3000 B. C. Modern skiing has its seeds around the turn of the twentieth century when skis found their way onto the mountain faces of the world. It has been a long way from the wooden plank to the high-tech product – and the development goes on ...
In 2007 K Sport Ltd. acquires worldwide trademark rights for Kästle of Benetton. The new shareholder structure consists of the management team Siegfried Rumpfhuber, Alexander Lotschak and Oliver Binder as well as Cross Industries Inc. of Stefan Pierer and Rudolf Knünz. On July 30 the name of K Sport Ltd. is changed into Kästle Ltd. The company’s headquarter is located in Wels, Austria. Kästle skis are being developed and produced in Austria again.
In 1991 Kästle is taken over and commuted into a corporation by Benetton Sportssystem, a subsidiary of the Benetton Group. The R&D budget is increased considerably. In 1996 production at Hohenems, Austria is shut down. In 1997 Kjetil-Andre Aamodt (combination) and Tom Stiansen (slalom) win gold twice at the World Championship in Sestriere. In 1999 Benetton presents the first “Nordica” ski collection – the brand “Kästle” is abandoned.
In 1980 Kästle wins the mens’ World Cup with Andreas Wenzel from Liechtenstein. In 1984 Pirmin Zurbriggen wins it for the second time, who also becomes double world champion with victories in Bormio in 1985 and Crans Montana in 1987. At the Olympic Games in Calgary in 1988 Kästle wins 4 gold and 6 silver and bronze medals. In addition Pirmin Zurbriggen wins the world cup for the third time. On October 19 the founder of the company Anton Kästle dies.
In 1970 Karl Cordin wins the downhill world cup on Kästle skis. Two years later the ski company Kästle is commuted into the Kästle Ltd. In 1976 Kästle introduces its new logo – the “double arrows”. In 1978 Kästle is the most successful ski brand at the Alpine World Championship in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. One year later Kästle presents the “Tour Randonnée” – the lightest ski in the world designed for mountaineers.
From 1947 onwards all lines of production are resumed. In 1950 Trude Beiser wins the first gold medal on Kästle skis at the World Championship in Aspen. 3 gold medals at the Olympic Games in Oslo in 1952 make Kästle an internationally known brand. At the Olympic Games in Cortina in 1956 it is raining medals for Kästle (2x gold for Toni Sailer and another 18 medals on Kästle skis). In 1966 Kästle invents a new type of construction for skis called CPM (compound-plastic-metal). In 1968 Josef Fischer and his sister Selma Sturmberger take over the “Vorarlberger Skifabrik Anton Kästle”.
In 1924 Anton Kästle produces his first pair of full ash skis in his coaches-workshop in Hohenems, Austria. In 1929 he starts with batch production – at first full ash skis are made in small batches. From 1937-1939 the top-quality Arlberg Ski is developed that is highly valued by professionals. Due to raw material scarcity the Arlberg Ski cannot be produced any more during World War II. In 1946 Kästle is occupied by the occupying power.
