Staff shortage in the women’s bobsleigh due to maternity leave: fuss about the best Swiss pusher

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The Swiss bobsleigh sport is running out of staff! The situation is particularly precarious for the World Cup women. After the resignation of Martina Fontanive (37), only one pilot remains, Melanie Hasler (25). And right now it doesn’t seem like Hasler can even field a team for all races.

Because her regular pusher Nadja Pasternack (27) is on maternity leave. Hasler: “I discovered it during my holiday in Bali. At first I was really worried that I wouldn’t be able to get a team together for the season.”

The obvious scenario of simply taking over pusher Mara Morell (29) from the resigned Fontanive is not initially an option. Morell was reorienting himself professionally and wanted to take a step back. That’s why she joined Debora Annen’s (21) team. The daughter of former bobsledder Martin Annen (49) is considered a talent and will participate in the European Cup for the first time this winter.

Gradual change in Hasler’s World Cup team

But before the first start, Annen and Morell parted ways again, the daughter of Olympic champion Curdin Morell (60, pusher for Gustav Weder in 1992) now starts with Hasler in the World Cup. Fuss about the best pusher there is.

Morell tells Blick: “Despite my new job, I was able to train surprisingly well in the summer and the performance test showed that I remained at a very good level. At the same time, Melanie suddenly looked. I thought it would actually be a shame not to participate in the World Cup anymore.”

But Morell has Annen’s word for this season. What now? Initially a compromise was reached that Morell would drive for both teams. But two weeks later everything is different again. Morell cancels the event in Schwyz completely and will probably drive all World Cup races in Europe with Hasler.

Talent Debora Annen is disappointed

From an overall Swiss perspective it makes sense: the best pilot and the fastest pusher now form the only World Cup duo. But a hard blow for the up-and-coming Annen, who took the experienced Morell early and now has to make a new appointment shortly before the season.

She says: “It’s disappointing for me. I met with Melanie with a compromise solution and heard from Mara two weeks later that she wasn’t riding with me after all.”

Morell doesn’t like the episode either. “It has a bitter aftertaste for Debora. It was bad of me to say yes to her and then go with Melanie. I was very reassured when Debora found a good solution.”

Annen now starts the season with Julie Leuenberger (17) from St. Gallen. “The Junior World Championships in St. Moritz is our big goal,” she says. She would have had to replace Morell there anyway because of her age.

Source : Blick