South Tyrolean coaching legend practices with young skiers from China

The well-known trainers Franz Gamper (Ulten) and Hansjörg Plankensteiner (Rasen/Antholz) look after 50 athletes from China, the host of the 2022 Winter Olympics. We met the successful trainers for an interview.

How do you like the training slope? What did you think when you were there for the first time? Franz Gamper: Huge. You have to find something like that! Normally village lifts are 200 meters long. The length here is great! This is 100% exactly what we need.

Who have you trained with at the Riepenlift? Hansjörg Plankensteiner: I've been going to the Riepenlift to train with various athletes for 20 years. These were unknown athletes, but also world champions, World Cup and Olympic medalists, and World Cup winners.

Which disciplines can you train particularly well? Hansjörg Plankensteiner: Giant slalom is mostly trained there; it's moderately steep terrain where you can really refine your technique.

How is training with the China ski team going? Franz Gamper: Our goal is for the athletes to ski a lot. You have to do kilometers. A lot of free skiing, but recently we moved on to slalom skiing with individual groups. Waves were also pushed up in the lower part especially for us, simply a dream. I'm surprised that more ski clubs don't train there.

The athletes from China are currently learning to ski. Franz Gamper: This is not a “practice slope”, it is moderately steep terrain and offers ideal training conditions, even for national teams, at least for 2-3 days. However, additional safety nets would then have to be installed in the upper part. But the location and the slopes are simply wonderful.

What makes a good training slope? Hansjörg Plankensteiner: You have to be provided with a good training slope anyway. Where is it possible to set up a 40-goal giant slalom with a goal distance of 25/26 meters? That corresponds to a running time of around 55 seconds, mind you for World Cup riders! Something like this is hardly possible anywhere else. I can't understand why local ski clubs don't use village lifts like this! The lift company is also very flexible, if necessary they switch the lift on earlier or later! The goal posts are not an obstacle either.

How does the China ski team like it? Hansjörg Plankensteiner: The people in charge from China are very happy with everything, they keep emphasizing that the athletes are there for training. If necessary, waves can be pushed with the snow groomer, everything is on offer. Everything from slalom to super-G is included, and it feels like a private slope!

Is it difficult to get to the slopes? Hansjörg Plankensteiner: Not at all, on the contrary. For the China group it is simply optimal: the athletes get into the minibus in Oberrasen and after 10 minutes they are already on the slopes. The slope goes all the way to the road, the parking lot at the valley station is right next to the road. It couldn't be more convenient or quicker.

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South Tyrolean coaching legend practices with young skiers from China

The Antholz Valley is known worldwide as a biathlon valley. But hardly anyone knows that there is also a ski lift in the town of Mittertal. The China Ski Team South Tyrol has chosen the 1.600 meter long Riepenlift as their training base.

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