Ski talent Colturi is working on her return to St. Moritz and gives private insights: “For me, skiing is like breathing.”

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She is only 16 years old and yet on everyone’s lips: Lara Colturi. The Italian, who competes for Albania, is considered ski racing’s next superstar. Last winter, when she was still 15 years old, she experienced her baptism of fire at the highest flying level during the season opening in Sölden (Austria). Rain and fresh snow prevented this. This time too, the skiing talent will travel to the Ötztal. Whether it will start remains unclear. “We will decide shortly before the race,” says her manager Andrea Cappelletti.

The background: Colturi tore the cruciate ligament in his right knee in February during the warm-up for the World Cup downhill. She doesn’t want to talk about it. Why? “I didn’t fall into a deep hole, I just did more school after the operation. And I relaxed, just enjoyed the time,” she says with a smile. It can be so easy.

Her mother is an Olympic champion

We meet Colturi and her team in September in St. Moritz GR during the Kondi training. Your team? This is mother Daniela Ceccarelli (48), Super-G Olympic champion from 2002. She is the coach of Colturi. There is also Kondi coach Martino Delleani and manager Cappelletti. At the moment, her new Blizzard service man Andrea Vianello and father Alessandro, who is mainly in charge of the private team back home in Piedmont, are not there. “During the injury I learned to focus on myself even more and live in the moment,” says Colturi.

The latter is currently what distinguishes Colturi. She is probably aware of the hype surrounding her. No wonder, because everyone wants to know if she will be the next great skier. “I don’t put any pressure on myself, I just try to have fun,” she says. But dealing with her daughter is not always easy, mother Daniela explains.

“Lara is very demanding in training, she gets bored quickly and therefore always wants new challenges.” You also notice this on the tartan track in St. Moritz Bad, where various sprint and explosiveness exercises follow each other in quick succession. “I do the full program and have no pain in my knee,” she says happily.

Extra support thanks to Red Bull

Colturi doesn’t always train alone. In the snow she often joins other teams – she often has to deal with the New Zealanders and especially the Italians. At the same time, as a Red Bull athlete she benefits from the modern performance center in Salzburg (Austria), where she often trains under the eyes of legendary coach Robert Trenkwalder.

Colturi doesn’t miss any of the life that most other 16 year olds have. «It was always normal for me to go skiing and not hang out with friends. For me, skiing is like breathing,” she says. And anyway: not much happens in Cesena Torinese (I), where she grew up. “When I’m at home and have some free time, I like to walk my dog, listen to music or watch Netflix.”

The Albanian national anthem? “Difficult”

The question remains: does she already know the Albanian national anthem by heart? After all, this was played out at the last Junior World Championships when she won Super-G gold in St. Anton (Austria), beating some of her considerably older competitors. Colturi, whose mother once advised the Albanian Ski Association, says: “Not yet. The national anthem is difficult. For now, I’m trying to learn German first, after Italian, French and English. But it is difficult.”

It will be some time before Albania’s national anthem is played at the World Cup. Given her talent, there are many who believe this will happen in the coming years. First, Colturi, who finished 17th twice at the World Cup last winter, must fight his way back to the top of the world. “I still have time,” she says, smiling.

Source : Blick