Manuel Feller has reached the finish line (without a fight), the trembling is over: The 31-year-old Fieberbrunner is the winner of the Slalom World Cup. Because Kranjska Gora announced a complete cancellation of the technical races planned for the weekend, the Austrian ski star can no longer be intercepted. “It’s a lifelong dream come true,” said the champion.
Before the World Cup final in Saalbach (March 16th to 24th/with one slalom run) his lead over Bavarian Linus Straßer is 169 points. The mission is accomplished and a long dry spell has come to an end.
Austria’s team has been waiting for a crystal ball in the individual disciplines since the 2020/21 World Cup winter. Now it’s that time once more. “All of us, including Manu, would have loved to race in Kranjska Gora. But the persistent rains don’t make that possible,” said Austria’s men’s racing director Marko Pfeifer.
“You have to take your hat off”
“You have to take your hat off to Manu. He has made a great development in his career – from a bit of a broken pilot with back problems to one of the most consistent drivers in the World Cup,” emphasized the 50-year-old.
“A mega season, incredible consistency, incredible mental strength. Four wins, never worse than fifth, that’s a fantastic season,” added Pfeifer. “Manu is a real enrichment for skiing – also as a person, as a guy. Congratulations that a ball is going to Austria once more. We will toast to that following the final.”
“So it’s a bit strange now”
Feller was surprised: “So of course it’s a bit strange now. I would have preferred it if I had decided it in Kranjska Gora. In the finish area it would have taken my hax off at a moment like that, so it’s a bit difficult to understand “, the Tyrolean noble technician commented on the decision: “I think it is deserved. There is no discussion, the lead is very, very big,” said Feller, who thanked his competitor Straßer for the strong duel.
“He fought like that. I wouldn’t say no if we swapped things next season: I win Kitzbühel and Schladming, he gets the ball. Then, I think, we can both retire,” Feller reported with a smile .
Other balls are possible
Purely mathematically, “Ski Austria” has further chances of winning small crystal balls. The Super-G race on March 22nd in Saalbach will set the trend. Vincent Kriechmayr from Gramastett is currently 81 points behind the Swiss Marco Odermatt in this speed discipline, who cannot finish better than 14th if the Upper Austrian is successful.
Before the “Grande Finale” Stephanie Venier is separated by 68 points in the downhill from Lara Gut-Behrami (Sui), Cornelia Hütter in the Super-G 69. There is still something going on there too.
Profile of Manuel Feller
- Born: October 13, 1992 in St. Johann in Tirol
- Place of residence: Freudenbrunn
- Association: SC Fieberbrunn
- Greatest successes:
Olympics (1 silver): Silber Teambewerb 2018 Pyeongchang, 15. Slalom 2018 PyeongchangWorld Cup (1 silver): Silver Slalom 2017 St. Moritz, 5th team competition 2017 St. Moritz, 6th Slalom 2019 Aare, 7th Slalom 2023 Courchevel, 15th Giant Slalom 2019 Aare
World Cup: Discipline winner Slalom 2023/24
6 victories (each slalom 2021 Flachau, Lenzerheide, 2023 Gurgl, 2024 Adelboden, Wengen, Palisades Tahoe)
Junior World Championships: Gold Slalom Mont Sainte Anne 2013
European Cup: 5 Siege
Author
Alexander Zambarloukos
Sports editor
Alexander Zambarloukos
