These are the two secret winners of the Matterhorn debacle

And the marmot from Zermatt greets us every day: The ski ladies were supposed to have completed their first downhill training on the Gran Becca on Wednesday. This was canceled due to strong winds.

Although the forecasts for the training run (11.45 a.m.) on Thursday are better, the outlook for the two downhill runs at the weekend was by no means exciting.

After the men’s event – both runs were canceled due to the weather – the Matterhorn is now threatened with another failure for the women.

Had the right nose

At least two Austrians can feel like secret winners after the “Salto-nullo weekend”: Marco Schwarz and Johannes Strolz had already left the Matterhorn region for Gurgl last Thursday to prepare for the slalom on the World Cup slope on Saturday. Preparing for the premiere at the Kirchenkar.

So instead of being doomed to inactivity in Zermatt because of the storm, the two all-rounders took full advantage of the ideal training conditions in the Ötztal. Nevertheless, says Schwarz, he was always on call and would have driven straight back to the Italian-Swiss border area if there was a race.

• Also read: Matterhorn descent – the Prestieg project that could become a disaster

As bitter as it is not to have completed a single race this season, the 28-year-old can look forward to the tasks that lie ahead with some degree of confidence. His interim lead in the ultimately canceled giant slalom in Sölden had already shown him that the form was right. The Matterhorn cancellations in the downhill, which is not his specialist discipline, saved him energy. Then there was the right decision to arrive in Gurgl early.

“Certainly a spectacle”

The first impressions of the slalom slope in Gurgl are extremely good. While the drivers spoke of one of the most demanding routes of the entire winter, FIS race director Janez Hladnik was already full of praise during the snow control: “The first slalom of the season on this slope will certainly be a spectacle.”

Local hero Fabio Gstrein can be happy: After Lucas Braathen’s retirement, the 26-year-old slipped into the top 15 in the world rankings, which increases his chances of getting a better starting number.