Lara Gut-Behrami with the South Tyrolean star coach Roland Platzer.

Skiing blast: South Tyrolean star coach vacates his chair

The Swiss Ski Association caused a stir with this announcement on Wednesday: There's a change at the top of the women's speed team. South Tyrol's star coach is also affected.

10 April 2025

From: det

He hails from the tranquil village of St. Valentin auf der Haide, with a population of 900, yet his name is well known throughout the wide world of skiing. Roland Platzer is considered one of the best coaches in the scene. At the Swiss Ski Association, the 46-year-old Vinschgau native played a key role in shaping major stars like Lara Gut-Behrami and Corinne Suter, leading them to overall World Cup victories, World Championship titles, and Olympic gold medals. But now that's over.

As Swiss Ski announced on Wednesday evening, Platzer is taking on a new challenge and will coach the Swiss women's European Cup speed group starting next season. Stefan Abplanalp will be the new head coach of the World Cup speed women's team. "It was great to be able to compete at the highest level for many years and work with the athletes toward their goals. Now I'm looking forward to passing on my experience at the lower levels and working with the young athletes who are on the verge of making it to the World Cup," Platzer said in the press release.

A lifetime in the Swiss association

Platzer was once a talented skier himself, but stopped early and gained his first coaching experience at the age of 23 with the Eastern Swiss Ski Association before joining the men's speed World Cup group in the summer of 2006. There, he had established stars such as Didier Cuche, Silvan Zurbriggen, Didier Defago, Patrick Küng, and Marco Büchel under his wing.

She led Platzer to Olympic and World Championship gold: Corinne Suter. © ANSA / JEAN-CHRISTOPHE BOTT

Platzer did a strong job and was given a new, prestigious role in 2013. He was tasked with ushering in a generational change in the Swiss women's speed skating team. He succeeded – and how! From rough diamonds like Corinne Suter, Joana Hählen, Priska Nufer, and Jasmine Flury, Platzer molded true world-class skaters. He also perfectly integrated the not-so-easy-to-lead Lara Gut-Behrami into the Swiss speed team.

Recognition and countless medals

The reward: tremendous recognition and countless medals and trophies. Olympic gold medals (Lara Gut-Behrami, Corinne Suter), World Championship titles (Gut-Behrami, Suter, Flury), and overall World Cup victories (Gut-Behrami) – Platzer has had his hand in everything. It's not for nothing that he is considered, alongside Franz Gamper, the most successful South Tyrolean ski coach. Now a new challenge awaits him.