World Ski Championships: Silver and bronze for the ÖSV, but gold seemed within reach

Two races, three medals: Austria got off to a perfect start at the 47th Alpine Ski World Championships. The alpine combination was crowned with success for both the women and the men. Defending champion Marco Schwarz “stumbled” over a goal that was treacherously put out of the line just before the finish line and thus gave up a possible gold medal.

But silver also shines beautifully for the Carinthian, who was lying flat last week due to a flu infection. Bronze again went to a member of the Haaser family. One day after Ricarda Haaser’s third place, brother Raphael followed in her footsteps.

“A perfect day”

The beaming champion tore the thousands of visitors from their seats on the sun-drenched steel grandstand. It was none other than local hero Alexis Pinturault who brought his lead from the first part (Super-G) to a dry cloth.

The 31-year-old, who drives for CS Courchevel and therefore knows every corner of the earth in this area like the back of his hand, used the home field advantage in an impressive manner. “Of course there was pressure. Now it’s unbelievable – fantastic,” said Pinturault, for whom it was his tenth medal at major events and his third World Championship gold.

The “local hero” grew up in his father Claude’s posh inn in Courchevel. Sister Sandra is currently the third generation to run the five-star Annapurna Hotel near Altiport Airport. A bargain looks different.

For a week in a double room you have to shell out around 10,000 euros. But you get something to see in the lobby. Namely Alexis Pinturault’s extensive collection of trophies behind glass. Now they have to make room for the next World Championship gold medal there.

“I lost my bearings”

Black now has a complete World Championship medal set in the combination: gold, silver, bronze. “Down at the long train I missed my gold chance. Things got brutal, I lost my bearings and brutally cut off the momentum. But I’m also happy about silver and for the Alexis. Being world champion at home is cool,” explained the 27-year-old, who missed Pinturault by a tenth of a second.

“A perfect day for me,” said Pinturault. “Everything went well, that’s sensational after the first part of my winter, which didn’t go so well. Like two years ago in Cortina, it was very close between Marco and me. I will always remember gold in my village.”

“The thing with the sister makes it even nicer”

Raphael Haaser was impressed by the result: “It’s mega, the thing with the sister makes it even nicer, of course. That feels good. Ricarda more than deserves it. It was nice to see that she gets to the point. I wanted to imitate her step, fortunately I succeeded,” said the 25-year-old Tyrolean.

Stefan Babinsky and Johannes Strolz (“I’m at a loss”) dropped out in the slalom, Vincent Kriechmayr decided not to compete in the slalom after fourth place in the Super-G.