Tuesday, December 28, 2021
Schwaiger with an alpine skiing sensation
Spectacle and coup on a dangerous ice slope
It looks like a disappointing German alpine day with ice, top speeds of 140 kilometers per hour and difficult visibility in Bormio – until Dominik Schwaiger starts the best speed run of his career. However, the record winner once again provides a great spectacle.
Ski racer Dominik Schwaiger threw his arms up and let his emotions run free. “I had a great feeling and fought to the goal,” reported the 30-year-old German on ARD after he raced to fifth in a Downhill World Cup in Bormio for the first time. With the best speed result in his career, the sports soldier from WSV Königssee cracked the national Olympic standard for the Winter Games in Beijing in February. “Just great, although I messed up a bit upstairs,” said Schwaiger.
The victory on the brutally steep and enormously feared Stelvio slope once again went to Dominik Paris from South Tyrol. The Italian was at the top of the podium in Bormio for the seventh time in his career – for the sixth time in the downhill. The Swiss overall World Cup leader Marco Odermatt came in second, 0.24 seconds behind, followed by compatriot Niels Hintermann (plus 0.80).
“Schnick, Schnack, Schnuck, who goes along”
The other German starters had no chance on the icy and restless slope. Josef Ferstl was 16th, the World Cup runners-up Romed Baumann and Andreas Sander were 22nd and 28th. “I don’t really know what to do here. It’s difficult for me,” said Sander, who was already in Bormio had always struggled. The relationship with the notorious runway has now “gotten a lot worse”. Simon Joche retired after a driving error.
Thanks to Schwaiger’s notable success, all German athletes from the five-person speed team have now met the standard for the Winter Games. However, there are only four starting places per event. “Then we’ll just make a joke, joke, joke who goes along,” joked Schwaiger.
The legendary Stelvio is often mentioned in the same breath as the Streif in Kitzbühel when it comes to the highest level of challenge. Ice, top speeds of 140 kilometers per hour, extremely long jumps and poor visibility demand everything from the drivers. “It is certainly not for serious skiers,” said Jocher.