The Swiss slalom team is also convincing without injured team leader Holdener: “We have potential even without Wendy.”

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On December 12 at 11:16 am, Swiss-Ski sent the fateful message. “Wendy Holdener is out with an ankle injury,” reads the headline. At first glance it doesn’t sound half bad. Holdener, the seemingly indestructible Swiss slalom queen, even suffered a fracture in her left foot during training. “Wendy flew straight into the net,” reports head coach Beat Tschuor. The impact is so violent that both skis are destroyed.

Holdener himself has not spoken since; she plans to do that sometime in the new year. Through social media she published photos on crutches and in front of the Christmas tree, most recently of her foot. “Time to pull the strings,” she wrote underneath. The question is whether Holdener will return to the racing tracks this winter. They want to make a decision at the end of February.

Five riders achieved slalom points

The consequences of Holdener’s worst injury yet are not only serious for her. “The gap it leaves behind is enormous,” says Tschoor. Before her accident, Holdener even claimed 36 of Switzerland’s 42 slalom podium finishes, and regularly collected bullion at major events. Two questions arose. First, is the slalom team falling apart? And secondly: is there a gloomy winter without a podium finish? Both can be answered with ‘no’.

Although another team supporter, Aline Danioth (25), is missing, the Swiss team is doing well so far. Five athletes have collected slalom points since Holdener’s failure: Elena Stoffel (27), Camille Rast (24), Mélanie Meillard (25), Nicole Good (25) and Michelle Gisin (30). The latter recently finished third on the podium in Lienz (Austria). “That is wonderful. At the same time, you cannot always expect this from us in the future,” says Gisin.

Trio was torn apart

In any case, the Swiss team did not split up. “It was always clear to me that we had potential even without Wendy. “But she is still missing from the team as a pacer,” says Tschuor. Their failure is especially painful for Meillard and Rast, who now stand alone in the top Swiss-Ski training group because Gisin has joined the speed team. “We were a cool trio and also had a balance with the different characters. We miss Wendy,” says Rast.

Meillard adds: “We have to do it without them. Michelle shows that it is possible. The rest of us haven’t come far yet, but it’s coming little by little.” You have to know: Meillard and Holdener are also very close to the slopes. “I carry Wendy in my heart,” she says with teary eyes.

“Hope everything calms down”

Good’s ninth place in Lienz (25) is also strong. She from St. Gallen has never been rated so well. “I knew I was in a good mood – now I could show it, great,” she says.

And what happens next? Tschoor: “The loss of Wendy also offers opportunities, there is more space. Now I hope there will be some peace.”

Source : Blick