Like Marco Odermatt’s race director: Marc Gisin is celebrating a triumphant World Cup comeback

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December 15, 2018 is one of the most dramatic days in Swiss ski history. Last Saturday in Val Gardena, Marc Gisin suffered serious traumatic brain injuries, a lung contusion and fractures of the pelvis and ribs in a terrible crash on the first camel hump. The brother of Olympic champions Dominique (38) and Michelle Gisin (30) has been in very critical condition for a long time. It takes a few days before doctors can give everything clear.

The Engelberger then fought heroically for a comeback at the World Cup. However, during training he has to admit that his reflexes are no longer fast enough to return to the top of the world. In November 2020, Gisin announced his resignation at the age of 32. “I couldn’t imagine at that moment that one day I would return to the Alpine Circus in a different role,” reveals the 1.99 meter tall man, who reached the top twice in Kitzbühel during the most dangerous descent in the world. 5 thundered.

“Cuche went into even more detail than Odermatt”

A WhatsApp message from Marco Odermatt led to Gisin’s change last winter. «Odi asked me if I would be interested in the position of race director at Stöckli. The more I thought about it, the more this task appealed to me. At some point I officially applied for this job. Having never driven with Stöckli as a driver, I was quite surprised to receive the honor.”

Thanks to the support of his predecessor Beni Matti, Gisin feels very comfortable in his new job. “Because Beni is still by my side, I can continue my studies in business psychology in addition to my position as race director. That is the ideal zodiac sign for me.”

But is the collaboration with the exceptional athlete Odermatt really as uncomplicated as most people think? «Marco does ask a lot of us, but he always does it in a very honest, constructive way. “He never comes up with crazy ideas, his input and feedback are very thorough,” Gisin reveals. When asked whether Odermatt is also the greatest when it comes to further developing the material, Gisin thinks for a moment. But then he says very clearly: “Didier Cuche, in his sporting prime, went even deeper into the details and took everything to the extreme. Odi focuses on the basics.”

Unique mix of model athlete and crook

Gisin and Odermatt already had a special bond with each other as drivers. When the man from Nidwalden went on the North American tour with the downhill skiers for the first time in November 2018, he shared a room with the man from Obwalden. “Then I noticed that this Odermatt embodies a very special mix of an extremely determined man and a crook,” Gisin reveals and gives an example: “There were two pairs of old snowshoes hanging on the wall of our bedroom in Panorama as decoration. But Marco didn’t give up until we took him down and walked through the Canadian wilderness for about an hour. It was very fun!”

Even after the last race in Saalbach, Odermatt and Gisin will have a lot of fun as they toast this fantastic winter with a stiff drink.

Source : Blick