After the giant slalom cancellation in Sölden, Austria’s men’s ski team is now looking for slopes to prepare for the World Cup slalom on 18 November in Levi in the best possible way. Pass Thurn and Schnalstal are options before flying to Kaabdalis in Sweden for training the following week. The ÖSV slalom team is not invited to train in Levi.
Austria’s slalom coach Marko Pfeifer hopes that on Tuesday and Wednesday at Pass Thurn goal running training is possible. Meanwhile one will try to prepare a runway in the Schnalstal (South Tyrol).
“With the weather, it’s not so easy. In Val Senales they make snow, we need the lower steep slope, which is comparable to Levi. When the weather front is gone, they’ll prepare it with water.”
The motto now is “full throttle towards Levi”, the last training station is Kaabdalis again. “We can’t go to Levi, I think that’s extremely sad and not okay, but we have to accept that. Because it’s an advantage to be able to ride the waves at racing speed.”
The organizer may decide for himself which nations he wants to train in the run-up to a race. According to Pfeifer, as much as he had heard, besides the Finns, the Germans and Norwegians are desired, but some others are not. “It is incomprehensible that we are not allowed to train in Levi. But you meet at least twice in your life,” said Andreas Puelacher, head coach of the men’s team.
However, this should not affect the performance of the Austrians. “That shouldn’t stop us, there’s a hillside driving the day before,” Pfeifer said. Levi, north of the Arctic Circle, has no snow problem.
“They have such snow depots that we could have confirmed the race in July,” said FIS Chief Race Director Markus Waldner on Saturday evening at the team captains’ meeting in Sölden. In addition, it is expected to be significantly below freezing in the coming days.
“Fishing”, was on the agenda as a short distraction for Manuel Feller after the giant slalom cancellation. “Then the focus will be on the slalom. We’ll have to build a plan first, but we’re sure to find good conditions.”
He sees with mixed feelings that Kaabdalis is again being targeted for training. “It’s nice up there and fine for training. But I get a gossip year after year, that’s not so good for self-confidence.”
Said, laughed, looked ahead. “The preparation was always good and we were always very fast in Levi, even if we didn’t always find the goal, but the form would have fitted.