The testimony for the ski experts: Weirather chases all-rounder Neureuther

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Now that the ski season is really starting again, some people are wondering which German-language TV channel to watch the races on. Blick provides an overview and evaluates the experts who guide the spectators from the commentary booths during the races.

With the Schladminger it never gets boring. He goes along every ride as if he were riding down the slope himself. Knauss is a nice guy, comes across as friendly, doesn’t want to hurt anyone, speaks flawlessly and is good at analyzing and classifying. But he often lets his emotions get in the way. His favorite phrases “Are you smart” and “Are you stupid” have become trademarks, but lose their impact if said too often. Hans Knauss has been working as an ORF co-commentator for speed competitions and giant slalom since October 2005. Knauss became downhill champion in Kitzbühel in 1999 and a big winner in Adelboden in 2003.
Blick rating: 5

Extremely well prepared for her missions, she analyzes the runs thoroughly and always with heart and passion, but usually without major substantive surprises. Never puts the focus too far, pleasant tone. It works very well in a duo. Alexandra Meissnitzer has worked as a co-commentator on the women’s races for ORF since 2008. Since the current season, she no longer takes tracking shots. She was replaced by Nicole Schmidhofer (34). Meissnitzer became overall World Cup winner in 1999 and was a two-time world champion in Giant and Super-G.
Blick rating: 4.5

His voice takes some getting used to. But what he says has substance. The Lower Austrian comes across as credible and impresses with his objectively formulated competence. His eye is so good that he doesn’t need timing to know who is fast and who is not. He is the good ski conscience of the ORF. However, when it comes to entertainment value, there is a bit of dry dust on the microphone. Thomas Sykora has been a co-commentator and cameraman in the technical competitions for ORF since 2000. Sykora won the Slalom World Cup twice in a row in 1997 and 1998.
Blick rating: 5.25

When he’s behind the microphone, you know there’s a big ski event happening. The Austrian star presenter (including ‘Millionaire Show’) has many more projects and is actually too far removed from the ski circus. Still, you enjoy listening to him. He can delight the audience when the drivers thunder over the Streif and the Carinthian gets a fever at the microphone. Armin Assinger has worked as a co-commentator at ORF since 1995. So it’s the gray expert eminence at the microphone. Assinger won a Super-G in 1992 and is a three-time downhill champion (1993 and 1994).
Blick rating: 4.5

She still suffers as she did when she was active. Not just for the Austrians, for all drivers who merge or fall far behind. She enjoys her work and has great expertise, but she needs to be able to do both more often. The entertainment factor is not very high with her, and she is also not very fluent in speaking. Niki Hosp has been working as an ORF co-commentator at women’s technology competitions since 2016. Hosp won the overall World Cup in 2008 and is a three-time world champion: 2007, 2013, 2015.
Blick rating: 3.75

The Tyrolean can talk and, as a co-commentator, also likes to take the initiative. She’s really good when she peppers the comment with interesting details from her own career: “I sometimes slept with my bib number so it would bring me luck.” But sometimes she talks too much and repeats herself with platitudes in the analysis. Martina Lechner works at Eurosport as a commentator and as co-commentator for Wolfgang Nadvornik and Guido Heuber. Lechner achieved a total of 15 top 30 placements in the Super-G.
Blick rating: 4.25

The person from Garmisch knows where and why crucial hundredths were won or lost. He conveys his knowledge to TV viewers in a relatively unspectacular way. He is rarely emotional, but that is also because Dopfer, as a co-commentator, finds it difficult to put himself in the spotlight next to the long-standing eloquent presenter Guido Heuber. You would wish for more objections from the former slalom star. Fritz Dopfer has been co-commentator at Eurosport for the men’s competitions since 2021. Dopfer became the silver medalist of the World Slalom Championship in 2015.
Blick rating: 4.5

He combines entertainment and professional expertise almost perfectly. He has competed with many current drivers himself, so he knows their strengths, quirks and equipment conditions very well. He also has a sense of humor. After the completely unexpected dismissal of Lucas Braathen, Neureuther made him an offer: “If you quit because of the Norwegian association, I can marry you so that you can drive to Germany. My wife wouldn’t mind that at all.” Felix Neureuther succeeded Maria Höfl-Riesch as ARD’s ski expert in 2019. He achieved eleven World Cup victories in slalom and came second at the World Championships in 2013.
Blick rating: 5.75

As a driver, he was a loudspeaker who always had a thigh-slapping saying up his sleeve. At ZDF, however, the emphasis is on emotional restraint and fine formulations. So he had to adapt quite a bit, almost like a heavy metal rocker switching to the Mainz Philharmonic State Orchestra. He managed the transformation without any problems. Without overdoing his singing, he brings together competent analysis and controlled emotions. However, because the channel does not broadcast on site at many races, it often has to provide commentary from the studio in Mainz. He then does not have current insider knowledge. Marco Büchel has worked as a racing analyst at ZDF since 2010. He came second in the gigantic world championship in 1999 and won the Kitzbüheler super-G in 2008.
Blick rating: 5.5

The Liechtenstein native guides TV viewers through the races expertly, authentically and empathetically. She excels with extensive specialist and insider knowledge because she is very close to the drivers. She suffers with it, sometimes too much. You can also sense which athletes she likes in her private life. All in all, a real windfall for ski reporting on Swiss television. Tina Weirather has been working as an expert and co-commentator for SRF on live broadcasts of women’s races since 2020. She is the overall winner of the Super-G in 2017 and 2018 and came second in this discipline in 2017.
Blick rating: 5.5

Following in Bernhard Russi’s footsteps is certainly no problem. But Marc Berthod found the trail a long time ago. It’s just part of ski racing, like the icing on the cake of cheese fondue. It doesn’t really matter what he says. You just feel happy when you hear and see him. And as an Adelboden hero, no one doubts his expertise. Only occasionally do you long for something more than the subtle irony of it, a clear edge that is. If you dare to say something critical, you will improve your overall rating. Marc Berthod has been commentating on the men’s races for SRF since 2017. He is a two-time winner of Adelboden: 2007 in the slalom, 2008 in the giants.
Blick rating: 4.75

Some people understand his dialect perfectly, for others it is annoying because they have to listen very carefully. Maybe that’s why the Walliser from Varen VS polarizes people as a co-commentator. But one thing is indisputable: anyone who understands it will get a lot out of it. Remarkable analyses, a lot of background knowledge combined with criticism, humor and Valais temperament. Often seems like a strict father to the drivers he judges. But sometimes he gets caught up in the vague technical jargon. Didier Plaschy has been co-commentator for the technical disciplines at SRF since 2018. In 1999 he achieved two slalom victories in the World Cup.
Blick rating: 5.5

Abplanalp trained the elite in women’s skiing for twenty years. Anyone who has trained the Swiss women and superstars like Mikaela Shiffrin, Lindsey Vonn and Ilka Stuhec knows what drives the drivers, what concerns them and how they feel. He can also convey this knowledge well. His big plus: he explains the complex subject of ski racing so simply that everyone understands it. At least anyone who grew up west of Zurich. Because many people in Eastern Switzerland have a hard time with its rustic “Haslidiitsch”. Stefan Abplanalp has been SRF’s co-commentator for the women’s races since 2022.
Blick rating: 5

The Schangnauer won everything there was to win in the descent. Now he is trying to win the hearts of TV viewers. We’re excited. Beat Feuz will make his SRF debut as co-commentator during the descent in Zermatt this Saturday. As long as the wind doesn’t thwart his plans. Feuz is an Olympic champion, world champion and four-time downhill World Cup winner.

Anyone who watches ski broadcasts on German-language television will be entertained from good to very good. The differences between the individual channels are manageable. A lot of expertise is offered on all channels – with commentators, co-commentators and additional experts on the road or in the finish area with the camera.

However, if you want critical debates, you won’t get much value. Things are different in the ski circus than in football, for example, where old stars often warm up current players and coaches as experts.

In the skiing family we don’t want to hurt each other, we prefer to celebrate the beauty and fascination of this sport together. Maybe that’s why so many people watch the races and feel good about it.

Source : Blick