Sporting glamour at Oktoberfest: DTM stars and Olympic champions at the BMW Wiesn Sport-Stammtisch.

The stars from motorsport, winter sports, running and outdoor sports met at the Käfer Wiesn-Schänke to review the sporting year so far and look ahead to the forthcoming 2015/2016 winter sport season.

The assembly of top stars from a wide range of sports could hardly have been more diverse and colourful. The winter sports were well represented by a large contingent, which included BMW Biathlon Ambassador Sven Fischer, Olympic luge champions Natalie Geisenberger, Felix Loch and Georg Hackl, bobsledder Johannes Lochner, and BMW Wintersport Ambassadors Rosi Mittermaier and Christian Neureuther (all DE). BMW Group Classic Ambassador Katarina Witt (DE) and Prince Leopold of Bavaria (DE) also visited the Wiesn, as Oktoberfest is known locally.

It goes without saying that the stars of the racetrack were also present on this social outing to Oktoberfest. BMW DTM drivers Marco Wittmann – the reigning champion – and Martin Tomczyk (both DE) were joined by BMW Brand Ambassador Alessandro Zanardi (IT) and BMW Motorsport Director Jens Marquardt. For Wittmann and Tomczyk, this was the final important appointment before the eighth DTM race weekend of the season at the Nürburgring (DE) this weekend.

Bavarian Tomczyk had already demonstrated the special relationship he enjoys with Oktoberfest in a video clip “BMW M Wiesn Drift”, in which he pulls off some spectacular drifts at the wheel of a BMW M3 in the iconic “Münchner Wirte” livery. You can download the video here.

As well as Superbike rider Ayrton Badovini (IT), MINI drivers from the Rally Dakar, including Mikko Hirvonen (FI), Xavier Panseri (FR), Michel Périn (FR) and Harry Hunt (GB), also enjoyed a diversified and entertaining day in Munich. Rounding off this unique assembly of sports stars were BMW Running Ambassador Ingalena Heuck and BMW Outdoor Ambassador Stefan Glowacz (both DE).

Quotes from the 2015 BMW Wiesn Sport-Stammtisch:

Katarina Witt (BMW Group Classic Ambassador):
“The Stammtisch is like meeting up with family for me. You don’t see some of them all year. Fortunately, this offers us an opportunity to meet up. It is always great fun. Furthermore, you also get a chance to try out the odd fairground ride. BMW always does a great job of organising it. That makes it a really nice and, above all, relaxing day for us.” 

Martin Tomczyk (BMW DTM driver):
“I am definitely a Wiesn regular. For me, it is one of those things you just have to do. We also have our own Oktoberfest in Rosenheim, which always takes place two weeks before the official thing. And you can let your hair down once a year – even as a sportsman you don’t need to have a guilty conscience. It also makes a nice change and gives you a boost ahead of the challenges ahead.”

Alessandro Zanardi (BMW Brand Ambassador):
“Thanks to invitations from BMW, I have been here a few times before. I look forward to it every year, as it is a great opportunity to meet friends in a relaxed environment. In the past, many of my friends used to drive from Italy to Munich for Oktoberfest. I always asked myself what the point was, as I didn’t like beer. However, after my crash I suddenly discovered the German blood in me and developed a desire for German beer. Beer aside, the Wiesn is a huge and, above all, beautiful festival. I have learned you should have fun in life. That obviously does not mean that you should neglect or stop seriously pursuing important goals and projects. Because of this, Oktoberfest is a nice distraction every year.”

Natalie Geisenberger (Olympic luge champion):
“It is always nice to meet people you have not seen for a long time. Apart from this, you might meet every so often while training. For that reason, this makes a great change and I really enjoy it. The focus is obviously always on sport – that is my profession and I am really ambitious. I always give my all to be as successful as possible. That does not leave you with a great deal of free time, but that is fine by me. That is my choice, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

Felix Loch (Olympic luge champion):
“This is almost like a family get-together these days. You get to meet up with old acquaintances that you have not seen all year. That is why it is always nice to be here – particularly now, as we have an awful lot to do with the start of the season just two weeks away. Therefore, it is nice to get out and just relax a bit.”

Rosi Mittermaier (BMW Wintersport Ambassador):
“By the time you reach our age, you have obviously calmed down a bit. I am more reserved now, particularly around so many people. However, this is one of those things that you just have to do, and you are happy to join in once a year. It is particularly nice here among all these athletes, who have almost become something of a clique. Although a lot has changed, I still have a lot of fond memories of the Wiesn, which has been a part of my entire life. It is a special mixture of companionship and conviviality.”

Georg Hackl (Olympic luge champion):
“The BMW Wiesn-Stammtisch has become a regular and, above all, really nice fixture in the calendar. It gives you the opportunity to stay in contact with a fantastic partner like BMW. Plus, we obviously all like going to Oktoberfest. And the Stammtisch offers everybody the perfect excuse to chill out for a bit, particularly as this is a pretty stressful time for everyone. It is also always a bit quieter earlier in the day, which makes for a nice relaxed atmosphere.” 

Stefan Glowacz (BMW Outdoor Ambassador):
“I am not your classic Oktoberfest visitor. However, I do find this kind of event fantastic. What I particularly like is the opportunity to meet other athletes, who you would only otherwise see on television. You can have a lot of interesting chats, which can open up new opportunities. You can arrange to meet up and go training together, or learn new things. It is just a really nice get-together. I can completely understand why so many people flock to Oktoberfest. All the attractions obviously offer a lot of different emotions that you don’t experience every day.”

Johannes Lochner (Bobsledder):
“This year is my first time at the Stammtisch, and I think it is superb. Since I have been in Munich, I have been a regular at the Wiesn. It is just great to spend the day with these fantastic sportsmen and women before the season gets underway. You can switch off, relax together and have a chat.”

Michel Périn (Rally Dakar co-driver):
“For me, this event is about more than just the relaxed ambience. It is also very important for me to meet other sportsmen and women from different sports. Not just those still active, but also former athletes, who are still associated with BMW and MINI. I definitely feel at home here. Coming here is like an anniversary, and I plan to pop in again next year.”

Felix Wiemers (Freeride professional):
“This is my first time at Oktoberfest, and I am absolutely thrilled. The atmosphere is really fantastic. It is excellent to be able to meet and chat to athletes from other sports. You rarely get this kind of opportunity to do that.”