Waldner's dark premonition: "Ski World Cup is hanging by a thread"

By Andreas Vieider from Bormio

He has shoulders as broad as a truck. For all the decisions he has to make in the interest of skiing as a whole. Mostly alone, but always surrounded and harassed by opinion makers and the self-interests of trainers and associations. But he also has worry lines - and the big ones.

Markus Waldner, FIS race director for men, is looking forward to the next few weeks with a serious expression. And paints a bleak future scenario: “The Ski World Cup is hanging by a thread. If we get through to the Olympics in February in one piece and all of the world's best athletes are at the start, then it will be nothing short of a miracle." Waldner looks at the development of the women's skiers every day, if not hourly. Katharina Liensberger, who was there again in Lienz, had to take a break there. Lara Gut-Behrami is still missing, and Mikaela Shiffrin and the Pole Maryna Gasienica-Daniel (most recently 6th twice in a giant slalom) have also been out of action for a few days due to Covid. One of two unvaccinated World Cup athletes: Urs Kryenbühl (SUI). © APA/afp / FABRICE COFFRINI

Waldner: “It’s only a matter of time before infections skyrocket among men too.” Although only two athletes, the Swiss Urs Kryenbühl and Ralph Weber, are unvaccinated. They have, according to a report in the Schweizer Tagblatt View until January 13th at the latest you have the opportunity to miss out on the prick. Otherwise they will not be able to compete at the Olympics in Beijing – assuming they qualify. Big worries about World Cup races in Switzerland Markus Waldner is looking forward to the next World Cup races in Adelboden and Wengen with the greatest concern. As of today, spectators are allowed there despite the horrendous corona numbers. But if the controls are as lax as we experienced at the Women's World Cup in St. Moritz, then goodnight. Especially since it is good and right that there are so-called bubbles where contact between athletes and coaches as well as fans should be prevented. But there are so many loopholes that complete protection is a complete utopia. And: In the village of Wengen, which has 1100 inhabitants and has almost 10.000 guest beds, almost exclusively English holidaymakers are spending their Christmas holidays these days. It is known what the corona numbers are in Great Britain because of the Omicron variant. Markus Waldner does not believe that the 92nd edition of the Lauberhorn races in the Bernese Oberland will be canceled at short notice, as was the case last year. But he also knows that his daily saying at race director meetings - “I count on the personal responsibility of all athletes, trainers and service people” - still goes unheard far too often. No matter whether in Val Gardena or now in Bormio - you constantly see athletes taking selfies with fans, shaking one hand or another or even hugging people.

Waldner's biggest concern among the many current concerns is this: “In the women's giant slalom in Lienz, three absolute top runners were missing: Shiffrin, Gut-Behrami and Gasienica-Daniel. Imagine if Paris, Feuz and Kriechmayr were missing from the Olympic men's downhill because they had to stay at home because of Corona. From a sporting perspective, that would be an absolute disaster.”

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Waldner's dark premonition: "Ski World Cup is hanging by a thread"

Among women, the coronavirus has already paralyzed numerous top drivers. For FIS race director Markus Waldner, it is only a matter of time before the same scenario occurs for men. He paints a bleak picture for the coming weeks and months.

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