Austria rejoices: Stephanie Venier brings gold at the start of the World Cup!

Austria rejoices: Stephanie Venier brings gold at the start of the World Cup!

The Alpine Ski World Championships in Saalbach-Hinterglemm have celebrated a spectacular start! Austria's ski queen Stephanie Venier caused the first celebration of the tournament: she was crowned world champion in the Super-G. “The relief is of course great, a boulder has already fallen down,” said ÖSV President Roswitha Stadlober, who described the emotions of the day with “goosebumps and tears of joy”. Sports director Mario Stecher was also overwhelmed: “A wonderful day today, an incredibly great performance,” he praised the team and the athlete’s personal triumph laola1.at reported.

This success gives the entire Austrian team new impetus. Alpine boss Herbert Mandl expressed the hope that this golden performance could inspire the team for further competitions. “It’s good for the whole team,” he emphasized, while Stadlober looked optimistically at the men’s Super-G and brought up the possibility of a “Sun World Cup 2.0”. The change in mood is no coincidence: just days before the World Championships, other team members, such as Manuel Feller and Fabio Gstrein, have already secured excellent placings in the Schladming Slalom. “That gave the team a boost,” said Stadlober, reflecting the current confidence that exists in the Austrian team krone.at reported.

Expectations and pressure in front of a home crowd

Stadlober was optimistic that the team could even win medals in every discipline, commenting: "Maybe it's not so bad that we are the dangerous underdogs." A start with a medal would be ideal to take the pressure off the athletes. Expectations can be particularly high, especially in a home World Cup. This position as favorite can be both an incentive and a burden. “Those who have it in them will succeed,” said the President, recalling the thrill and importance of such competitions, which awaken not only sportsmanship but also emotions.