What particularly annoys ski star Dominik Paris

Last winter, Dominik Paris won two World Cup races and came third in the Downhill World Cup. Still, it was a season he wasn't happy with. On the one hand there was the Olympic Games, from which he returned without a medal, but above all he was not satisfied with how he skied. “We tried something in the Super-G, but realized too late that it wasn’t good. Technically, I was also too weak, and when both come together, it becomes difficult,” says Paris, looking back very self-critically on the winter of 2021/22.

The biggest disappointment was definitely the Olympic Games. It didn't work out to win a medal in Beijing either. It's almost unbelievable that such a successful ski racer hasn't won an Olympic medal yet.

The Olympics have so far been a red flag for Paris. © Pentaphoto

“This is really getting on my nerves. The opportunity was there in Korea, but I wasted it myself. In China the chance wasn't that great, I wasn't in a good mood there, I wasn't convinced by the slopes and the course, and the snow didn't suit me that well. “Others adapted to it more quickly,” says Paris, who has never had any luck at the Olympics. The next Olympic downhill run will take place on “his” slope, the Stelvio in Bormio, but whether he will still be there remains to be seen. “I’m at an age now where you plan from year to year. I’ll definitely only drive as long as I’m competitive.”

Kvitfjell was the turning point At the moment he still is, and how. He was particularly pleased with the way he won the downhill in Kvitfjell. “I tried it at full speed on the first day and made mistakes that cost me too much time. On the second day I tried to drive smoothly and cleanly, then I was quick and knew what to do again," says Paris, looking back on this race, which, in a sense, put him back on the right path. “Perhaps I was over-motivated in some races and therefore didn’t ride relaxed enough. Sometimes you'll be faster if you sneak down and play with gravity. You just have to know when to do what, I had difficulties with that last winter,” says Paris. “I needed new motivation after so long.” dominik paris But that wasn't the reason why "Domme" wanted to take a new path and is now practically solo with his own team of supervisors. “Last year I didn’t really feel comfortable in the team anymore. Maybe after such a long time I needed a new incentive to develop further. I asked association president Flavio Roda if I could do that. Michael Gufler hasn't been there long, but he has a good eye, a great will and he works hard. Alberto Ghidoni is a person I trust and is incredibly valuable with his vast experience. And Luis Kuppelwieser as a physio is ideal for me, he is my brother-in-law, lives next door to me, so he is always there,” Paris explains his move.

Main focus on technology He also didn't do the South America training with his speed colleagues. He was in Ushuaia, Argentina. “The plan was to work more on technique, mainly giant slalom. As I said, I didn't ski well technically last year, which affected the results in the Super-G. On the descent you can somehow cheat your way through, but in certain passages it's no longer possible. This year we also looked at the material to find out something and found something. The Ushuaia training was very good, I also skated with the giant slalomists, that was fun,” says Paris.

Sought after autograph writer: Dominik Paris.

And because he enjoyed giant slalom again and did well, he decided to start at the World Cup opener in Sölden. He drove quite well there too and only missed qualifying for the second round by three tenths. Now the full concentration is back on the speed disciplines. This weekend it starts with a downhill run and two Super-Gs in Lake Louise. He is still convinced that he can be fast on the Saslong if everything works out. He was already on the podium.

Defend the incredible Bormio series After Christmas comes Bormio, where he has an incredible series to defend. He has won 8 of the last 6 descents on the Stelvio. But he knows how difficult it will be to extend this streak. “Marco Odermatt will make life difficult for me there. This descent suits him very well. He has the technique and he has the courage that it takes there,” says Paris, calling his most dangerous opponent in Bormio. “A rethink will be necessary.” dominik paris The first two descents of this season should actually have taken place, but the glacier event in Zermatt/Cervinia fell victim to the warm autumn. The next attempt will take place next year, but Paris is skeptical. “A rethink will be necessary. There will certainly be normal winters, but they will become less frequent. A solution could be to start the season later and ride longer,” says Paris, who also doesn’t like it when there are two downhill runs at the same place. “In Formula 1 there is only one Monaco GP every year. And at the Olympics you don't do two downhill runs. And so there should only be one king in Kitzbühel. More racing doesn’t necessarily make it more interesting.”

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What particularly annoys ski star Dominik Paris

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