“Stamina training is regarding working. If I’m not ready, and you get the impression that you’re not, then I won’t perform in the exam without doing your homework,” said Walchhofer on the sidelines of the Zauchensee World Cup APA – Austria Press Agency.
According to Walchhofer, the previous performance – before the season highlight Kitzbühel and following five downhill runs the ÖSV aces are without a podium place – does not suit the “Skination”. “It has to be said very clearly that this is not enough for the financial possibilities that the Austrian Ski Association has. They have not done their homework in several areas.”
The 2003 downhill world champion avoided publicly naming the major construction sites in detail. That’s not his right. But Walchhofer did raise the question of responsibility. “Did the athlete not do it right? The coach? The association?”
It is an interaction of several factors. “Otherwise it wouldn’t be the case that nobody drives in the front, because there is a certain breadth and quality there. Even from below, it’s not the case that no children drive in student races anymore,” said Walchhofer in response to the ORF Criticism from Hans Knauß, who lacks the “supply, the second set that ensures competition and pressure”.
Drive must come from within yourself
The pressure from others was almost always secondary to him, says Walchhofer. “I’ve always made it for myself. For me, the fact that the drive comes from within you is also the most important thing for an athlete, otherwise he won’t perform at the highest level. I rate Odermatt in such a way that he doesn’t care at all whether who pushes from behind. He does his thing because he knows exactly where he wants to go.”
Despite all the meticulousness required, the crucial things can also be kept simple, emphasized the winner of 19 World Cup races. “Skiing is easy on the one hand, but on the other hand you can make it extremely complicated and complex. I think that happens to us from time to time. The lightness, the playfulness, is then lost. That is at least as important as the fact that we don’t have enough speed -Have downhill runs in the European Cup and FIS areas.”
Praise for ÖSV women
Nevertheless, the Salzburg native expressed optimism that the picture might brighten up once more very soon. This is evident in the ÖSV women, where Roland Assinger, as head coach, is currently “putting the right mechanisms in motion so that the bike runs properly”. Successes like Cornelia Hütter’s victory are enormously important for this process. But Assinger also has a lot of construction sites to work on, warned Walchhofer. “If you look at the starting field for the women’s European Cup race in Zell am See, then from an Austrian perspective it is brutally thin.”
Walchhofer said he knew Assinger, who lives in Radstadt, quite well. “I know what makes him tick. A huge team like Austria has the big challenge that you are still flexible and individual. But it also has a big USP (unique selling point, note): It is possible to have a real one through the team Getting drive in. We haven’t had that before, but I have the impression that Assinger is doing a good job of that.”
The former candidate for president of the ski association does not see himself in a creative role at the ÖSV in the medium term, “because there are enough designers and I am busy.” “In Roswitha Stadlober there is a president who I hope will remain president.” Continuity is important, especially before the home World Cup in Saalbach in 2025, said Walchhofer in view of the presidential election still to be won in 2024. But the 48-year-old doesn’t want to close the door completely. “In ten years I won’t be 60 yet, and I don’t want to judge whether that will be an issue then.”
