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Strength lies in stillness: At the Lenkerseeli, Joana Hählen recharges her batteries for the next races.
Joana Hählen could never live in a big city. “I would miss nature too much. I belong in the mountains,” says the 30-year-old.
Although she has lived in Münsingen BE for four years, her home is and will remain in Lenk BE. This is where she grew up, this is where she went to kindergarten alone, this is where she set out as a teenager to conquer the world of skiing. She dreamed of making it to the World Cup.
She managed to do that a long time ago. Now her wish is different: “The first victory.” The conditions for this are better than ever, Hählen has had the best start to the season of her career, she has already been ninth twice and fourth once in the downhill. In St. Anton (Austria), where she won her first European Cup race ten years ago, she wants to build on that.
“This is my retreat”
Back to the steering. Blick accompanies the speed specialist on a tour of the village of 2,248 souls. The start takes place at her parents’ house, to which she still returns to this day and spends the night there. “About ten times a winter,” as she says. Continue past chalets and farmhouses to the Lenkerseeli. “As a child, I used to go to the playground and watch the ducks. And this is still my place of retreat today, I often do yoga here on the shore.”
Hählen is always greeted at the photo shoot on the shore. «My father was a village doctor, he had a practice in our house. That’s why almost everyone here knows me personally, from a young age,” she explains. Physician? That’s a good – or in the case of Hählen, rather a bad – keyword. Because she knows the operating theaters better than she would like. Hählen tore her cruciate ligament three times in her career – in 2011, 2014 and 2018. The last time she refrained from surgical reconstruction – like ex-ski crack Carlo Janka once did. Today she says: “It was perhaps the best decision of my career.”
Hählen has regained confidence in his body
The first years without a complete cruciate ligament were not easy for Hählen. She always had pain when she was overexerted. That’s over – she no longer feels afraid when she thunders over a jump at 120 km/h. Trust in the body is back, emphasizes Hählen. “I feel fitter than ever.” As a testament to how well her knees hold up, Hählen climbs onto a tree stump just by the lake shore and jumps down in Superwoman Pose. “I could never have done that two years ago. The head wouldn’t have participated either.”
Hählen has always been considered a daredevil. As someone who doesn’t shy away from any risks on the slopes. For some, she has the image of a crash pilot. Wrong, she thinks. “I’ve had a violent crash four or five times in my career.” In any case, she doesn’t intend to take too many risks at the start. “If I drive boldly and don’t think too much, I’m the fastest.”
“Winning the World Cup is my dream, I’ll do everything for it”
We leave the Lenkersee, drive up to the Metschstand at 2100 meters – the mountain railways are happy to let the gondola run for their ambassador, although the ski season has not yet started when we visit. Once at the top, Hählen’s heart immediately warms. “It all started here,” she says, pointing to a tow lift. “We skied until dark, it was a great time.”
A short time later, after we are back at the Lenk, we ask again: Will Hählen get her first World Cup victory this winter? She smiles and says: “It’s my dream. I will do everything to make it come true.” One thing is certain: all of Lenk will keep their fingers crossed that it works.
Attention ski fans! Now quiz and type races
The 2022/2023 ski season is in full swing and so is the “Blick Ski Trophy”: Answer questions every day, type ski races and crown yourself as ski champion. Lots of great prizes await.
To take part in the “Blick Ski Trophy”, you have to register here.
Have fun and good luck!
The 2022/2023 ski season is in full swing and so is the “Blick Ski Trophy”: Answer questions every day, type ski races and crown yourself as ski champion. Lots of great prizes await.
To take part in the “Blick Ski Trophy”, you have to register here.
Have fun and good luck!