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Three Swiss women to watch out for at the Junior World Championships: Stefanie Grob (18, SC Brülisau),…
The World Ski Championships in Courchevel/Méribel (Fri) start in less than three weeks. The juniors will already start their title games in St. Anton (Austria) on Thursday. Those born between 2002 and 2006 are eligible to start. Sets of medals are awarded in the classic disciplines of downhill, super-G, giant slalom and slalom. In addition, there is the combination, which will be held for the first time as a team competition for both men and women, as well as the classic team event with parallel races.
Seven women and nine men represent Switzerland. There are athletes who forego the Junior World Championships in favor of the World Cup, such as Delia Durrer (20) from Nidwalden – she is in action in Cortina d’Ampezzo (It). Others give up the World Cup to shine in St. Anton – like the established Emma Aicher (19, De) and Zrinka Ljutic (18, Kro). Either way: Blick focuses on six Swiss World Cup talents.
From the JO to the regional association and from there to the national performance center in the east: Grob has a classic ascent within the usual ski structures behind him. «Everything is going very well. I never expected to get a World Cup assignment,” she says. In fact, the down-to-earth Appenzell native competed in both giant slaloms at Semmering (Austria). She didn’t score points, but her talent is unmistakable. “She’s developing step by step,” says Hans Flatscher, the young women’s manager, with satisfaction. Grob’s greatest chances of a medal are in the Super-G. «This discipline gives me an adrenaline rush, but it’s still technical. I like the combination of speed and fast turns like in giant slalom,” says Grob.
The proportion of Italian athletes in the top ranks of Swiss-Ski is rather small. Blanc sets out to change that. Her specialty is the downhill, where she scored three European Cup points this season. “She can judge the lines very well and lets the skis run properly,” says Flatscher. At the Swiss Championships in St. Moritz, Blanc finished tenth.
Like Grob and Blanc, Mächler is also in the C squad of Swiss-Ski. She was two years old for the first time on skis, most recently Mächler, who lives in Thalwil ZH, was able to sniff World Cup air for the first time at night slalom in Flachau. “The level of performance among the juniors is higher in the technical disciplines than in downhill and super-G. But Janine is making great progress,” says Flatscher.
The 20-year-old from the Engadin is the cousin of Marc Gini (38), who won a World Cup slalom on the Reiteralm in 2007. Marc is also Silvano’s condition trainer. The all-round talent achieved the best results this winter in giant slalom – Silvano came second in a FIS race in Arosa. In December, Gini suffered a concussion during a European Cup downhill run in his hometown of St. Moritz.
The technology specialist from the Obersaxen region also has a very well-known supervisor – Stucki has been looked after by Carlo Janka since last summer in the strength and fitness area. The C-squad athlete hasn’t made any big progress this season. In January he won a national junior race in Grimentz VS in the slalom, but at the FIS level the Graubünden native can only show 8th and 13th place.
In the eyes of former Swiss Ski head coach Osi Inglin, the 19-year-old from Oberwil ZG is the most promising Swiss medal contender at this Junior World Championships. “Lenz has the greatest potential for skiing,” believes Inglin, who has been head of the national performance center in Mitte since last year. In addition to successes in the FIS area, Hächler recently delivered a decent talent test at the European Cup Super-G in Wengen, where he scored his first points at the age of 27 at the second highest alpine level.
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!