Marcel Hirscher: Will he start in the World Cup again in Sölden? © APA / BARBARA GINDL

Marcel Hirscher: First New Zealand and then Sölden?

Will Marcel Hirscher get a wildcard for the coming World Cup winter? This would allow the new Dutchman to start in the World Cup - even if he doesn't have the FIS points for it. This possibility doesn't change his preparation for the season, says Hirscher.

July 29, 2024

From: apa/sn

Despite the wildcard option, Marcel Hirscher wants to stick to the New Zealand trip. "It's a good idea that the FIS now apparently wants to introduce a wildcard system, because it has also proven successful in other sports. As far as I and my plan are concerned, the announcement doesn't change anything for now: I'm flying to New Zealand on August 9th, hoping for good testing and training conditions there and would also like to take part in one or two FIS races in Coronet Peak," explained Hirscher.

There, says Hirscher, he will see "where I actually stand after five years in the background." It was recently announced that in the future there will also be wildcards in the Alpine Ski World Cup, i.e. free participation in competitions for deserving athletes. Wildcards will be reserved for those who have won either the overall World Cup, a discipline globe (plus five individual victories) or gold at the Olympics or a World Cup.

Already at the start in Sölden?

Hirscher meets all of these criteria. If the 35-year-old from Salzburg gets a wildcard – which is likely – he could be competing in the giant slalom in Sölden on October 27, regardless of how many FIS points he collects in New Zealand.

The FIS points list is - similar to the tennis world rankings - a long-term assessment. Therefore, Hirscher, who competed in his last World Cup race to date on March 17, 2019, still has some points in his account from his active time. However, he is outside the top 150 in the two technical disciplines of slalom and giant slalom and would not be allowed to start without the wildcard rule if the new season were to begin now. At the time of his retirement, Hirscher had zero points in both events and was thus at the top of the rankings.