An extremely eventful year 2021 lies behind the alpine ski racer Max Lahnsteiner, who comes from Ebensee: With the European Cup victory, the bronze medalist celebrated the biggest success of his career in the giant slalom at the Junior World Championships 2016. Lahnsteiner also secured a fixed starting place in the World Cup in all competitions.
Is that why he is the lucky guy of the year? Are you kidding me? Are you serious when you say that. Just five days before the Alpine World Cup kick-off in Sölden in Tyrol last October, the 25-year-old athlete tore his anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee in a training fall. The Olympic season was thus over before it actually began.
Is that why he’s also the unlucky fellow of the year? Are there any signs of resignation? Not a trace of it. “I wasn’t desperate for a second,” says Max at the turn of the year. “It was always clear to me: That was a small step backwards, but it will continue. That was not all. I noticed during training that I was close. With these thoughts I started the rehab on a positive note.”
After this turbulent year, the two ski instructor twins Markus and Simon Hörmandinger from the ski school on the Feuerkogel met Max Lahnsteiner with a big gingerbread lucky pig and wished the convalescent racer from the salt-water community a full recovery and a healthy and successful New Year 2022.
Lahnsteiner was delighted with the sweet New Year’s wishes. His rehab is going well. In May, Max could be on skis again for the first time and then prepare for the new 2022/2023 World Cup season at full speed. (horn / gs)
Source: Nachrichten
