The place to be seen when the temperature drops below freezing is the foot of Kitzbuehel's Hahnenkamm mountain where tens of thousands of fans gather to watch Alpine skiing's Blue Riband event -- the Men's World Cup Downhill.

An estimated 50,000 enthusiasts flooded into the town on Saturday alone, swelling Kitzbuehel's population and turning this normally sober and exclusive resort into a seething mass of drunken revellers.

"It just doesn't compare to anything else, its great," Romana Kitzler, a ski instructor from nearby St. Johann, said.

Her colleague, Sean Roach, originally from Las Vegas in the United States, agreed and said the Kitzbuehel atmosphere more than lived up to the Glitz of his hometown.

"The party is just as important as the race itself, if not more," Roach said, adding that many who came to watch the annual race had found other diversions before the 53rd and final skier made his descent.

"To be honest, after the first 10 racers, it doesn't really matter anyway."

In addition to the thousands of dedicated Austrian fans -- who were rewarded by the sight of six of their compatriots making the top 10 finishers in the Downhill -- Italians, Norwegians, Germans and Britons thronged Kitzbuehel's streets.

"Its like new year's eve but worse," said Vari Holland from Glasgow, who had arrived with friends on a skiing holiday unaware of what Kitzbuehel had in store.

"Its just mental but it's an added bonus for us."