Then the call came from Switzerland

Stefan Thanei had already decided to say goodbye to the world of skiing, at least temporarily. The Burgomaster, who now lives in Merano, didn't want to experience another winter like the last one. He was assigned to the competitions as coach of the Carabinieri national ski cross team, but when he returned he had to go to Val Gardena every day for piste duty because he was no longer part of the sports group. “I was hardly ever with my family, so I decided that I had to give up coaching. It was tough because I live for sport, but under these conditions I had no other choice. Family is more important,” says Thanei, who is a father of two children.

But then a call came from Switzerland that turned his life upside down. Enrico Vetsch, the head coach of the Swiss ski crossers, asked him if he wanted to work for Swiss-Ski. “I didn’t see an option and canceled straight away. But he said I should think about it calmly. I called some South Tyroleans who already work for the Swiss association. I was very honored that Switzerland, the best ski cross team in the world, wanted me as their coach. On the other hand, accepting the offer would have meant giving up my secure job with the Carabinieri. I decided to take a risk and resigned from the Carabinieri. I have been employed at Swiss-Ski since August 1st, and on August 16th we are going to La Parva in Chile for training,” says Thanei. By the way, the family would also benefit because: “I’m away more often now, but when I’m home, then I’m really at home.”

Stefan Thanei was initially a downhill skier (he held the speed record on the Lauberhorn for a long time) before switching to ski crossers. He didn't have an outstanding career there, but he was at least able to qualify for the 20218 Olympic Games. He is convinced that ski cross has a bright future ahead of it. “I know both worlds well, ski cross and traditional alpine skiing. There are more emotions in ski cross. You know where you stand in every phase of the race. If you finish first, you win. When you reach the finish line on a descent, you first have to see whether your ride was fast, and even if you're in the lead, you first have to wait and see what your time is worth," Thanei diligently promotes his sport, But also makes it clear: “Alpine and ski cross should not be in competition.” In Italy, however, ski cross is still not supported enough.

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Then the call came from Switzerland

Stefan Thanei is a former alpine skier and ski cross professional. After ending his career, the South Tyrolean is now trying his hand at coaching. You can read about the difficulties this brings here.

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