Simon Maurberger: “I was desperate”

In January 2020, you achieved your best World Cup result with 5th place at the slalom in Schladming, but the most difficult time of your career to date followed immediately afterwards. How do you summarize these?

“It was a year and a half that was very difficult and grueling. After I tore my cruciate ligament, I was only able to get on skis with painkillers. It was only after the meniscus procedure last February that things slowly started to get better. Until then, I had to bite my teeth with every stressful movement and every step I took. It got to the point where I could hardly sit down on the toilet because of the pain in my knees. That was very stressful for me and those around me. I was really desperate and I let the people around me feel it too. My family, the doctors and physiotherapists had to listen to a lot.”

How did you get out of that slump? “I did a lot of self-care and did yoga and meditation exercises. I understood when it was too much and my body, but especially my head, needed a break. I consciously allowed myself to be distracted by skiing and my injuries in order to recharge my batteries.” “The world looks completely different from up there, everything seems so tiny.” Simon Maurberger about paragliding Where did you find this distraction? “Firstly, on a bike. If I manage to get on the bike two or three times a week, I'm really happy. I went on multi-day cycling tours with friends on Lake Garda and Mallorca, and this time was balm for the soul. This year I also discovered a new passion: paragliding.”

What do you find at lofty heights that everyday life as a professional athlete cannot offer you? “It's exactly the same thing as breaking out of the skier's life, going beyond this framework for a few hours. I climb a mountain, sit down and enjoy the peace and quiet before I slide into the valley with this liberated feeling. The world looks completely different from up there, everything seems so tiny beneath you. These moments help me immensely to put everything back into perspective and to concentrate on the really important things in life.”

Simon Maurberger on one of his cycling trips. © ueberall.eu

Has this also changed you as an athlete?

“My skiing style, my feeling on the skis and my passion are unchanged. However, a lot has changed off the piste. I've learned to slow down and take a day off from training instead of rushing from one session to the next at full speed. I slow down certain things more significantly than before, but without losing focus and concentration.”

It sounds like you are traveling to Sölden with a good feeling. “Yes, definitely! I actually hadn't planned to take part in the World Cup opening, so it's all the more surprising and nice to start the new season so early. I have been pain-free for a month and a half and have also passed the endurance tests on the icy glacier slopes in Schnals and Sölden. So the giant slalom on Sunday can come.”

What goals are you starting the Olympic winter with? “Of course the Winter Games are the absolute highlight. I really want to go to Beijing and give a really good performance there and not just be there. But right now I'm just thinking about Sölden. The placement there is of secondary importance, after all these difficult months I just want to have a good time and be able to say to myself after the downturn at the finish: Wow, that worked!”

For the first time in Sölden, fans will be creating a great atmosphere in the finish area. Who will be keeping their fingers crossed for you on site? “Let’s be honest: the races last winter were a sadness. The silence along the slopes sometimes felt like you were training. That's why I'm really looking forward to the race on Sunday. My girlfriend, my sister, some colleagues will be there – and of course many friends who have not missed this spectacle at the start of the season for years.”

Football

Italy

International leagues

International

Winter sports

Hockey

Tennis

Other sports

Motorsport

Cycling

Watersports

Events

Favorites

Simon Maurberger: “I was desperate”

Suggestions

Comments (0)