Alpine skiing: the premiere sparks anticipation in the ÖSV team

“It’s something special in front of a full crowd,” added the 27-year-old. Although much fewer spectators are expected on Wednesday than on a winding Tuesday. “I think Planay is also a very cool giant slope,” said Manuel Feller. “It’s all there. There are some twists at the top, and it’s pretty steep at the bottom. I also think it’s very casual to watch.”

There were already some giant slalom decisions under the floodlights at the World Cup in Aare, but the lights were fully on there for the second run. Women only skied there last late March, and the last time for men was in December 2014. In addition, the Aare World Cup giant slalom – Marcel Hirscher’s gold – was also staged as a lit show in 2019. The second prop is for Nightrace, which represents According to calendar logic Garmisch-Partenkirchen substitution, present in Planai, but new.

Black with previous experience

The last daylight giant slalom event took place here in 2013 at the World Ski Championships. Ten years ago, Alexis Pintorault (FRA/WM-6th), Gino Caviezel (SUI/16), Adam Zampa (SVK/17), Henrik Kristoffersen (NOR/20), Mathieu Faivre (FRA/21.), Zan Kranjec ( SLO/22.), Filip Zubcic (CRO/28.) and Stefan Luitz (GER/out) are there. One of the pioneers was Marco Schwartz, who attended the ski trade school in Schladming at the time.

“I was 17 then. It was neither an advantage nor a disadvantage, it was a long time ago,” the 27-year-old says dryly. “I know the downhill from the slalom, that’s fine anyway. Giant slalom is new territory for most of them.” So far this season, Schwartz’s best results have been one sixth place and two seventh places. After Adelboden, there was no longer any giant slalom training. Since the race, the Carinthians have competed in slalom and sprints in quick succession. “I’ll hold up well on Wednesday, maybe I’ll pull out a little earlier so I’m ready to race.”

Keep an eye out for “Huge” in Filler

Villiers, who finished second on the podium in Val d’Isère and fourth in Adelboden, has less experience. “I’ve done a few night races in giant slalom during my career, but I was still a little dwarf at the time,” said Tyrolean, who said he was “very much” looking forward to the premiere. Feller hasn’t done any special training in this area lately either. “But I think I showed in Adelboden that I’m relatively good at giant slalom, and I’m going there with confidence.”

He could also gain something from comparing Adelboden in terms of temperament. “Although it suited me better because slalom was before. Giant slalom always bothered me a little bit. So it was arranged perfectly according to plan,” said Feller. “It’s just a shame: if I make it through the slalom, I have to go home after that,” he added with a laugh, adding that the night of the party should be wet with suds if I made it on Tuesday.

Water was injected back over the entire slope leading up to the start of the giant slalom on Sunday, after the previous days snowfall had attacked the establishment. “It’s really good. It’s a little different from Kitzbühel, but it’s solid and icy,” said FIS competition director Janiz Hladnik, who is in charge of technical competitions. According to the weather forecast, there should be no precipitation on Wednesday night and temperatures should be just below freezing.