Christoph Pircher (l.) and Felix Ratschiller (r.) share a common goal in life. © SN

Are these two friends the biathlon stars of tomorrow?

They both come from South Tyrol, they are the same age, attended the same school and they share common passions. Above all, they have the same goal in mind: becoming the world leader in biathlon. We're talking about Christoph Pircher and Felix Ratschiller.

28 November 2023

SportNews recently visited Christoph Pircher and Felix Ratschiller at the training camp in Martelltal and had a long, quite amusing conversation with them. But first we asked around in the scene and got opinions about the two up-and-coming winter athletes. The feedback was all similar, with the following statement from Italy's biathlon boss Klaus Höllrigl best summing it up: "These are really clever, likeable boys who already think like complete professionals."

So we wanted to get to know these “boys” better ourselves and quickly came across astonishing similarities while having a coffee chat in the Martellerhof. Pircher and Ratschiller have known each other since childhood, initially competing against each other on the cross-country ski trails and then later sharing a school desk in Mals. Both are 20 years old and started biathlon relatively early for this sport. “We were both six or seven years old,” says Pircher, who comes from Terlano but learned cross-country skiing from his father in Primiero. “He works there as a trainer. We used to visit him every weekend, and I still go to Trentino regularly today.”

A summer on the alpine pasture and in the mountains

Ratschiller, on the other hand, comes from Martell and was “literally born with biathlon,” as he himself says. His sister Lisa, who was six years older, was a biathlete herself and was long one of the most promising talents in Italy. In the Martell Valley, Ratschiller has the highest mountains in South Tyrol right on its doorstep. “Although I played football until I was in high school, I was drawn to climbing and ski touring from an early age. The mountains have always been my passion.” The man from Vinschger shares this passion with the Etschtaler Pircher, who works diligently at his cousin’s home on the Valser Alm in the Passeier Valley during the summer.

“Christoph is a true biathlon fanatic.” Felix Ratschiller

During the season, Pircher and Ratschiller often stand together on the cross-country ski trail, and after the races they share a place in front of the television. They follow the World Cup races both on TV and in the online statistics center, where they compare split times and shooting units. “Christoph is a true biathlon fanatic. “He also carries out this meticulous analysis in every training session,” reveals Ratschiller. Pircher counters with a smile: “Come on, we’re in no way inferior.” Both cite one of the Bø brothers as a great role model: Ratschiller the much more successful Johannes Thingnes, Pircher the no less talented Tarjei.

In any case, it's not just these idols, the dedication to biathlon, the shared youth and the passion for the mountains that connect the two, but also the rocky road to the top. Pircher has already been on the podium several times in the Junior World Cup, ran from 34th to third place at the Junior European Championships and won two relay medals at the World Championships in his age group last spring. Then the big shock came this summer: the diagnosis was a torn cruciate ligament! “That was a very difficult time, a year off would have set me back extremely.” But it stayed with the subjunctive, because more detailed examinations showed that the cruciate ligament was still hanging on two fibers. “So I didn’t have to go under the knife and was able to train again quickly, albeit to a limited extent,” he says.

Christoph Pircher (l.) and Felix Ratschiller (r.) in action last winter. © private

Pircher is now in such good shape that he was able to qualify for the IBU Cup races starting on Thursday in Kontiolahti. “I’m really happy; for the first time I can compete with the big boys,” he says. Ratschiller also wants this as quickly as possible, even if he has to be patient after a long period of suffering. Two years ago he repeatedly struggled with palpitations before the problem was finally found and he was able to undergo heart surgery in Bolzano in November 2021. Ratschiller felt the consequences of the long break well into last season. “I've never had one perfect race before. But that will come, I'm sure. Now it's time to be at the top of the Junior World Cup.” He'll get the chance to do that in Pokljuka at the beginning of December.

“We can dream, right?” Christoph Pircher

However, the IBU Cup and Junior World Cup should only be a stopover up to the concert of the big ones. In the World Cup they want to follow in the footsteps of Dominik Windisch or Lukas Hofer. “Step by step,” says Pircher, “we are currently benefiting enormously from these great athletes. Especially Luki (Hofer, editor’s note) is available to help and advise us almost every day.” However, both of them make no secret of their ambitious goals. Ratschiller dreams of an Olympic medal, for Pircher the overall World Cup would be the greatest thing of all. “We can dream, right?” says Pircher. Ratschiller says: “First and foremost, we want biathon fans to remember us later and say: 'That was a top athlete!'” Pircher sits next to him and nods in agreement.

Sentences like these show that Klaus Höllrigl is probably right with his description: Christoph Pircher and Felix Ratschiller are clever, likeable boys who think like complete professionals.


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