Austria's racers: Excitement and team spirit in the new combined competition!

Austria's racers: Excitement and team spirit in the new combined competition!

The World Ski Championships on February 13, 2025 provided exciting moments with the new team combination. Austria's racers, including Vincent Kriechmayr and Manuel Feller, faced intense challenges. While Feller was eliminated in the slalom, the other athletes watched with great tension. “It's really bad to be excited, I'd rather drive down myself,” said Kriechmayr about the watching wait in the finish area. Austria ultimately took fifth place with the Hemetsberger/Gstrein team, while other Austrian teams were unable to win a medal due to slalom failures. The biggest drawback: the time behind by the speed riders, which put the slalom runners under pressure.

Emotional setbacks and team spirit

Despite the disappointing result, the team spirit among the athletes was strong. “It's a shame that I didn't drive better,” complained Kriechmayr, while Babinsky apologized to his teammates and emphasized that the competition had great potential. Hemetsberger reported a “brutally great tension” that characterized the day. “It’s not fun to watch,” he said, as the nerves grew with each round. Feller in particular advocated not abolishing the team combination, even if there was a touch of uncertainty alongside the great pressure. “I hope that I will do the competition again – in 2026 at the Olympic Games in Bormio,” added Kriechmayr, who describes this World Cup as his last.

New team dynamics and competitive strategy

The team combination also shows the athletes' creative sides. Marco Schwarz and Stefan Babinsky jokingly named their duo “Team Schwabinsky”. Babinsky said that they have maintained a close connection since they met on the team. In a competitive environment in which many athletes had to surpass themselves, the new team names and dynamics provided additional motivation. Daniel Hemetsberger and Fabio Gstrein may have less experience in common, but they are united by their determination not to miss any risks. “It's just full throttle and no tactics,” explained Hemetsberger, who is determined to improve his performance in the next opportunity. Meanwhile, Norway's team leadership faced a difficulty as they could only send two downhill skiers into the race, which made strategic planning much more difficult sn.at reported. An exciting mix of team spirit and sporting ambition is in the air!