Roland Filehner and the ambitious plan

From December, “Fisch” will be entering his 24th (!) complete World Cup season, having celebrated his debut on March 1, 1997 – back then at Kronplatz/Olang. In 1997, many of his competitors had not yet been born or were in diapers. It was the time when the “Teletubbies” were on television for the first time, Queen Lady Diana was killed in a car accident and the Backstreet Boys made millions of girls’ hearts beat faster.

But Roland Filehner doesn't have it that way with the past. He is a man who prefers to look to the future according to the motto “you can’t change what was before”. Although, one sting still runs deep: the 4-year-old veteran cannot get 8th place at the Olympics on February 2022, 42 out of his mind. “That day is still very present, it still bothers me. I was incredibly close.” As a reminder: Like clockwork, Fiwickeler drove towards his first medal since his Olympic debut in 2002 before he made a driving error while in the lead in the semi-finals and lost to eventual Olympic champion Benjamin Karl. In the small final he ran out of steam against Vic Wild - 4th place was the biggest disappointment of Filehner's career.

Roland Fischller and his family.

A disappointment that Filehner dealt with in his own way: “I was a full-time farmer on the Rodel Alm and had to cut down and chop up some spruce trees in the Villnöss forests. There I cleared my head and did dry training at the same time.” And the most important thing: Erich PramSoler, his long-time trusted coach, came back to the national team. He's like Filehner from Villnöß, he actually gave up his coaching job in 2014 after the Olympics in Sochi, but recently worked for two years with exceptional driver Ester Ledecka. “My wife Elisabeth tells me how grown up I have to be.” Roland Fischller “If Erich hadn't come back, I would probably have quit. He is able to take me further, to get the very last out of me. Everyone follows his line, there is no discussion. He’s a natural person to respect.”

Every now and then Roland Filehner has to put up with the accusation that, at the ripe athlete age of 42, it is high time to do something other than still snowboard racing, i.e. grow up. Filehner: “My wife Elisabeth tells me how grown up I have to be. I have achieved everything except this Olympic medal. Theoretically, I only have to do one good race between now and 2026 – the one in February 2026.”

The 24th World Cup season Unlike in recent years, Roland Filehner is - as of today - starting the season injury-free. “It's not a problem anywhere at the moment, I'm in top shape.” All snow training, whether in Zermatt, in Schnalstal at home - where he is a testimonial - or in Finland (Suomotunturi and Pyhä) went according to plan. Then there will be training in Livigno, where the season starts on December 3rd and 4th. With Roland Filehner right in the middle as the protagonist. It will be his 24th World Cup season. Impressive is a gross understatement.

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Roland Filehner and the ambitious plan

He will no longer catch up with his long-term rival Andreas Prommegger, who is the same age. The 275-year-old Austrian has 42 World Cup starts to his name, Roland Filehner has 232 under his belt.

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