Because Kriechmayr missed the two downhill training runs on Tuesday and Wednesday, he should actually skip the shortened downhill run on Friday and the Lauberhorn classic on Saturday over the entire distance. However, in the evening at the team captains’ meeting, FIS race director Markus Waldner stated that Kriechmayr was allowed to start on the basis of a jury decision. There is no rule according to which a racer has to complete full training runs. He only has to be on the list and drive out of the start house, then he can stop the run immediately.
Kriechmayr will start on Friday at 9.45 a.m. from the original start of the Lauberhorn descent, said Waldner. Then he will stop immediately and then contest the race (start 12.30 p.m. / live ORF 1). “We didn’t make the decision because it is Mr. Kriechmayr who is a world champion and has won here. We would make that decision for every runner because we live in very complicated Covid pandemic times,” said the South Tyrolean, who is one of the coaches other nations was criticized for it. “We want to avoid that a runner cannot start because of this damn Covid.”
“I was a bit slow”
After completing his corona quarantine, the double world champion did not arrive in Wengen until late Wednesday evening, on Thursday he was allowed to start in the Super-G and finished in ninth place. “Maybe I was a little tired in my head, I was a little slow,” he said afterwards.
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Kriechmayr had tested positive for the corona virus over the weekend. The 30-year-old went through an extremely mild course and had no symptoms. “I was very healthy,” said the Upper Austrian. “I was very surprised by my positive test result.” After he had already received a negative result on Sunday and felt in top shape, the desire was great to travel to Wengen on Monday, as originally planned.
“I understand the authorities”
After uploading a negative test in the online system of the World Ski Federation FIS, his accreditation was ready for collection. But of course it was not possible for Kriechmayr to end his quarantine prematurely due to the current legal situation in Austria. Countless phone calls in the past few days did nothing to change that.
“Of course I hoped. But I understand the authorities that they are not making an exception for me. That is a good thing,” said Kriechmayr. “There are so many in Austria who are in quarantine and who miss important events in life because of this. I understand that no exception will be made for me. I was able to test myself yesterday and was glad that I got the Super one in some cases -G was allowed to drive.”
The maximum, as he put it, he was then unable to deliver in only the second Super-G, which was driven out in Wengen. “A couple of times I was a bit surprised by the speed. I was hoping that I would do a better job,” he admitted self-critically. “Of course I wanted to be up front, but I just wasn’t fast enough.”
Source: Nachrichten
