Ski Alpin: Hirscher on the downhill?

Austria’s ski ace Marcel Hirscher has added another incredible level to his already perfect career with the seventh overall World Cup victory in series and two Olympic gold medals this season. In the last few days, the winter sports team has now declared itself in favour of Hirscher tackling the downhill discipline.

Since ÖSV-Herren boss Andreas Puelacher pointed out the possibility to let Marcel Hirscher start also in the downhill, the topic occupies the whole ski world. Now the 46 times World Cup winner Marc Girardelli has spoken in his column for the free newspaper “Gratis-Zeitung Heute”.

“This jagged line would be a downhill victory, says Girardelli, although the downhill mission could quickly become an impossibility for Hirscher:” Benni Raich has failed miserably on this project. Hirscher is good at Super-G, but a downhill is different. Especially unrhythmic!” Hirscher would have the biggest disadvantage in his height. He is missing about twenty kilos, which he could not catch up with his size. Especially the body weight would be necessary, however, to be able to absorb adequate speed in gliding passages.

According to Girardelli, Hirscher would certainly be confident of winning:”If he focuses on it, he will be a dangerous downhill skier in one year’s time,” but the question is whether the 29-year-old will even set himself the goal.