ÖSV coach Pfeiffer has a team on his mind

Marco Pfeiffer already has his team in mind for the World Ski Championships in Courchevel / Meribel, but the last World Cup race still has to wait before then.

After the men’s 24-hour slalom on February 4 in Chamonix, the ÖSV team should be nominated, and the women’s group will take place on 6 and men’s 7.

The unit limit is 24, and Pfeiffer would like to reach the limit of 14.

It will cater for all class locations.

Careful selection would not be necessary, said Pfeiffer, director of the men’s races, on the contrary, the boys should also have a chance.

“We’re going to achieve all the quota seats, we’ve got some who’ll be competing in two or three majors and not many who will drive in just one.”

Become the theme of “Acti Schwartz”

In the downhill Vincent Krechmeyer, Daniel Hemitsberger and Ottmar Stradinger, Acti Schwarz entered the race. The Carinthian could become a repeat player, in slalom and giant slalom as well as in the group as the defending champion, plus he’s almost certainly a Super-G.

“why not?” Pfeiffer said when asked if proportions were also an issue. “Marco has an itch. We decided not to race here on Streif so we can get those pills out there.” Of course, one would expect downhill training in Courchevel, Black must have had “really good chances”. It is also important to assess how much power it will cost in terms of giant slalom and slalom.

Schwarz still has an extensive program ahead of the World Cup, on Sunday the slalom on the Ganslernhang in Kitzbühel awaits, on Tuesday and Wednesday the slalom and giant slalom in Schladming.

Two Super-G aircraft will follow in Cortina d’Ampezzo on January 28 and 29, where Johannes Strolls will also be a technician. Vorarlberger is the Olympic champion in the group and is thus preparing for the World Cup race, which is also being run with the Super-G.

Lots of combo medal contenders

With Schwarz and Strolz you have medal contenders in the group, Pfeifer is on the list, as well as Kriechmayr and Raphael Haaser as well as the speed pilot due to the ensuing Super-G special.

“I think the station wagon will be an exciting race, there will definitely be eight or nine people vying for the medals,” says Austria’s men’s boss, also including Norwegians Lukas Brathen and Atlee Lee McGrath, who, like Schwartz, also looked to caught the speed range.

Question mark behind the slalom team

In slalom, only Manuel Feller and Schwartz are currently set. Vice Olympic champion Strolles and vice world champion Adrien Bertel, Fabio Guchterin and Michael Matt will compete for the starting positions in the upcoming races.

“In slalom there will certainly be some kind of confrontation in Chamonix, as there was before the last big events. At the moment, no one really stands out, there is still a lot to do,” says Pfeiffer. But Bertel and Justin will almost certainly make the World Cup squad, as Stefan Bernsteiner, they are destined for parallel competition.

The quad can be completed by Strolz or Haaser. In addition to Feller and Schwarz, there are three favorites in giant slalom: Brennsteiner, Haaser and Patrick Feurstein. Perhaps a strong performance on Planai on Wednesday will also reawaken Kriechmayr’s ambitions.

The ÖSV coach is hoping for the flow

Nothing is set in stone, of course. Pfeiffer is not averse to going downhill training with up to seven world championship athletes.

Thanks to two-time Cortina world champion Kriechmayr, he has five available starting places, which means it is conceivable that in addition to Stefan Babinsky, who finished ninth in Super-G, one of the top ten will be – most likely – Julian Schutter, Andreas Bloyer or Stefan Razer France.

As for Pfeiffer, his athlete is currently in an easier position. “We’re hunters now. We’re not going anywhere as favorites, as series winners. But we know our strengths.” He is hoping for a good start, a flow like the last World Championships and Olympic Games. Then we are confident that we will do well.”