Filip Platter: The South Tyrolean skiing exotic in the far north

Filip Platter is currently in Sweden when we reach him by phone. “I like to spend my summers in the far north with my grandparents and my girlfriend, who is also Swedish,” says the soon-to-be 23-year-old. “Otherwise I live mainly at home in Mals. I just like it there.”

Filip is the son of Heinzpeter Platter, who has made a name for himself in the ski scene as a trainer, and Agneta Fast-Platter, who is also active in the ski business as a fitness trainer. That's why it's not surprising that the Malser found his way into skiing. “As soon as I could walk, I was already on skis. That must have been when I was 2 years old,” says Platter with a smile. Sports high school in Mals, race for Sweden Afterwards, Platter, who was born in Sweden but grew up in Mals, followed the typical path of a South Tyrolean skier. “I attended the sports high school in Mals and then raced for SC Ortler,” explains the 23-year-old. When it was time to make the transition to FIS races as a teenager, Platter had to make a decision: start for Italy or for Sweden? “Physically I was a little later developed. This means that I was at a slight disadvantage compared to my peers in terms of height and weight. That’s why I and my family decided that it would be better for me to start for my mother’s country.”

Since then, the South Tyrolean, who speaks fluent Swedish, has been competing in the ski suit of the Scandinavian ski nation, with his flagship disciplines being downhill and super-G. This is unusual for Swedish conditions, as the focus here is mainly on the technical disciplines of slalom and giant slalom, while the speed area is treated rather neglected.

“Before the 2019 World Championships in Åre, a good plan had been drawn up for the downhill team. After the World Cup, the money became less and the speed areas were cut back,” says Platter, who also made his World Cup debut in 2019 (place 45), but is now feeling the effects of the budget cuts. “I’m no longer in the national team for the coming season and so I’m on my own, so to speak.” Fight back on your own The disappointment was great for the South Tyrolean, who had 6th place at the Junior World Championship as his best placement in his career and still has to wait for his World Cup debut. Nevertheless, Platter is holding on to his dream of professional skiing. “In Mals I have the glacier practically on my doorstep and thanks to the contacts I have made with my parents over the years, it is also possible for me to do ski training,” says Platter, who appears combative: “ Sports groups like those in Italy do not exist in Sweden. So I have to finance everything myself and rely on sponsors. My goal is to draw attention to myself in the European Cup next season. Maybe then something will work again.”

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Filip Platter: The South Tyrolean skiing exotic in the far north

Filip Platter is a true Vinschger - and yet the ski ace competes for the Swedish association. He told SportNews his special story.

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