I belong to the era that dedicated my youth on auto forums, and early YouTube viewing original videos of H2Oi organized at Ocean City, Maryland in the USA, and GTI-Treffen at Lake Wörthersee in Austria. Even before having a driving license, I used to pedal to the nearby gas station just to glimpse passing vehicles.
That’s why, few years later, the yearly trip to Velden am Wörthersee for GTI-Treffen was so exhilarating.
However, with the emergence of Covid in 2020, Wörthersee’s municipal location chose to no longer host the Volkswagen-specific gathering that had taken place in this small lakeside town since 1982. Despite the gradual decline of GTI-Treffen over the years – not all residents of Wörthersee welcomed the town’s inundation with visitors for the occasion – the termination of the event was still unexpected.
Now, whenever I journey through Austria, I ensure to halt at Velden am Wörthersee. This year’s visit impacted me more profoundly.
This is because my visit coincided with what used to be the period leading up to GTI-Treffen in previous years. In the past, the region would have been bustling with vehicles and individuals from across Europe and beyond. What I witnessed this year was notably distinct.
Memories flood my mind of leisurely driving near the lake, meeting up at the Faaker See parking lot at dusk, and enjoying late-night coffee with companions at the iconic Mischkulnig gas station after speeding around the ‘Turbokurve’ bend.
Exploring Wörthersee during the GTI-Treffen alongside my companions felt akin to an unfair video game code in GTA – customized vehicles of various kinds were scattered everywhere.
While it’s justifiable that certain locals had wearied of the event – the echoes of VR6 engines roaring at full blast en route to the Pyramidenkogel Tower lookout and backfiring intensively along the town’s casino strip for approximately a month annually will inevitably lead to such sentiments – the ramifications of its absence appear to have far-reaching consequences.
The atmosphere in Velden am Wörthersee seemed so serene, marked by unoccupied shops, deserted eateries, and few signs of the customized vehicles that once characterized it, aside from remnants of tire skids on the streets. I perched by the waterfront, absorbing the tranquility of the lake, attempting to recollect the nostalgia that this spot once held for car modification enthusiasts.
As a tribute, I have incorporated images from my attendance at the GTI-Treffen events in the summers of 2017 and 2018 – the peak years of the gathering for me.
Presently, the solitary remains of the automotive grandeur of Wörthersee are the upscale car showroom on the main thoroughfare and the ‘Granit Golf’ monument. It’s truly disheartening.
I plan to continue revisiting to cherish the fond recollections. Who else holds cherished reminiscences of Wörthersee during GTI-Treffen? Please share them in the comment section below.
Jakub Vít
Instagram: somal1sh
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