The Austrian speed boss is furious: forced break from skiing causes commotion

class=”sc-cffd1e67-0 iQNQmc”>

Three weeks have passed since several drivers and trainers in Wengen complained because three speed races were scheduled within three days.

And after the Norwegian super moose Aleksander Aamodt Kilde (31, No, dislocated shoulder, serious lacerations), the French combined world champion Alexis Pinturault (32) and the Swiss newcomer Marco Kohler (26, both torn cruciate ligaments), three major experts on area of ​​the Lauberhorn injured, FIS race director Markus Waldner (60) drew an unmistakable conclusion: “This week has clearly shown that only five or six athletes can master such a gigantic program, for the rest it will be a nightmare. That is why in the future I will never reschedule a race that has been canceled somewhere at a World Cup location.”

Feuz’s former coach shoots sharply

The South Tyrolean’s words caused enormous applause. But the International Ski Federation’s competition director is now being criticized for his consistent attitude.

The toughest accuser is Austrian downhill boss Sepp Brunner (65), who worked very successfully at Swiss Ski until 2017. «After the two descents in Chamonix had to be canceled due to lack of snow, all athletes can take a rest this week. Therefore, we could easily hold a third race in Kvitfjell the following week, in addition to the originally planned downhill and the Super-G. But unfortunately Waldner is now becoming stubborn.”

Brunner, who once modeled Sonja Nef, Dani Albrecht, Beat Feuz and Carlo Janka into top stars, adds: “The fact that Kilde fell in the finish S on the Lauberhorn was less due to the dense competition program and more to the fact that despite the flu started the longest descent in the world. And in Kvitfjell, three races in three days would certainly not be a problem, because the travel time on this descent is not about two and a half minutes, as in Wengen, but one minute 40.”

FIS boss counters

Swiss skimen boss Tom Stauffer (54) agrees that Brunner is 50 percent right. “In principle, I am neither for nor against a race to catch up. But if there is a World Cup location suitable to organize an extra race, it is Kvitfjell.” But for FIS race director Waldner, a third race in Norway is absolutely no problem. «After the serious crashes in Wengen, Marco Odermatt demanded that we learn from them. And I learned from it. And when everyone suddenly claims that the slope in Kvitfjell is particularly easy, I have to remind these people that we have usually had at least one serious fall there in recent years.

Matthias Lanzinger (43) had a particularly bad time on the 1994 Olympic track: the Austrian broke his lower leg in a Super-G crash in 2008. Because the transfer to the hospital took too long, Lanzinger’s lower left leg had to be amputated.

Source : Blick