42 individual races at 20 locations await the women, including eleven downhills, nine super-Gs, ten giant slaloms, eleven slaloms and one parallel competition. The defending champion in the overall World Cup is the American Mikaela Shiffrin, like the Slovakian 2021 winner Petra Vlhova, she is also the main contender next winter. It would be her fifth coup. “Shiffrin, Vlhova, that’s to be expected,” Drinker sees it that way too. “Miracles don’t happen or it’s rare that someone appears out of nowhere. There is potential in one or the other boy, I hope we do too.”
Anna Veith was Austria’s last overall World Cup winner in 2014 and 2015, before that Nicole Hosp had won the big crystal in 2007. Katharina Liensberger won the slalom crystal in 2021, the Olympic silver medalist should be able to compete at the front once more this winter. “The big three in slalom include Shiffrin, Vlhova, Liensberger, they will match that. I hope that Katharina will be there from the start. It’s all regarding consistency and race wins at this level.”
Completely reorganized coaching staff
And what regarding the German Lena Dürr, who finished last season in third place behind Vlhova and Shiffrin and ahead of Liensberger? “Yes, but your trainer is with us now,” Drinker remarked. Georg Harzl is the new technical trainer in Austria’s support team, which also includes the Italian Livio Magoni. This takes care of Liensberger, in the spring several extra days were put in on snow.
“The exchange with Livio fits, Katharina is part of the group at every course,” Trinker stated that it was an initiative initiated by the ÖSV, since the athlete wanted special care. Group trainer of the World Cup team Speed is Alexander Hödlmoser, that of the RTL team Karlheinz Pichler.
Including himself – Trinker followed Christian Mitter – the coaching team was completely reorganized, over the summer we had time to get together, because of course everyone brings new ideas with them. “It’s going well, there are always hoops, but that also creates the dynamic – and certain adjustments that are still necessary. Everyone has to find themselves in what they do. That sure takes time. I do believe that the motivation of the girls is the be-all and end-all, and it’s very high, that’s a positive thing,” said Trinker.
Start in Sölden not yet a yardstick
The mood is good, everyone is professionals and has the goal that the fastest athletes are at the start. And of course it is important to increase the number of first places, in 2021/22 the yield was modest with two successes – Cornelia Hütter in Super-G and Katharina Liensberger in slalom. There were 15 podiums (2/4/9).
As far as the Sölden giant slalom is concerned, neither a good nor a bad race should be overestimated. Precise analysis is of course necessary to filter out errors in order to start once more in the next race. “If things are going well in Sölden, there is no guarantee that things will always go that way. You have to be very consistent in preparing for the next one and you mustn’t lose the path you’ve set yourself.”
Bad starting position on RTL
In the giant slalom, Trinker sees “a strong, solid team”, but the start numbers mean that the starting position is bad, so it’s important to move forward quickly. In the slalom you have to do without the injured Katharina Gallhuber, Chiara Mair still has following-effects from a concussion and had to break off the Argentina camp. In the speed area, it is important to push the group further towards victory. “Not everyone will win, but one or two are ready to fight for victories.”
For example, all-rounder Ramona Siebenhofer will continue following Sölden at the beginning of November with the new downhill run in Zermatt/Cervinia, snow conditions permitting. Trinker is happy regarding the speed races, even if they are scheduled early in the season. “It’s the same for every athlete, everyone has almost the same number of snow days. Those who have reached a certain level from last year may have a bit of an advantage. In terms of us and the set-up, we should have everything under control.”