Ryan Regez and Fanny Smith are the double world champions in ski cross and the winners of the Freestyle World Championships in the Engadine. These World Championships are more than just the highlight of the season, says Regez in the doubles interview.
22.03.2025, 17:32
22.03.2025, 17:44
SDA
Gold in the singles, gold in the mixed competition, and in front of a home crowd: is it the perfect World Championships for you and the victory in the mixed the icing on the cake?
Regez: "I've always said that the World Championship title would be the icing on the cake. Now I even have two 'Chirschi' on it." (laughs in disbelief).
Smith: "Exactly, for me it's 'une cerise sur le gâteau', the cherry on the cake. I didn't have this medal yet, now I can say that I have everything at world championships. My physiotherapist pointed out to me yesterday that I had won a world championship medal for the seventh time in a row. That wasn't even on my radar and I think it's pretty cool. Double gold at home makes the whole thing even more special."
Regez: "What a World Championships! It's only my second and my first at home, and it's not just the highlight of the season, but of my career. It's great that I was able to produce the same performance yesterday in the singles and today in the mixed - today, of course, with the help of Fanny. She was incredibly good, especially in the semi-final, and she also 'pulled it off' in the final. The fact that I'm now standing here as double world champion is incredible. The poker of taking me back at the last World Cup in Canada worked out."
The road to this resounding success at the home World Championships was rocky and by no means straightforward. How have you experienced the time since the Olympic Games three years ago, where you won gold (Regez) and - via a laborious legal detour - bronze (Smith)?
Regez: "It was extremely difficult with this second cruciate ligament injury. The way back was difficult. I didn't make any progress for a long time and it took a lot of physical and mental work to get back. To come out of a hole like that and then come home and win when it counts is indescribable."
Smith: "I've experienced a lot in my career over the years. The last two years have been particularly difficult. I'm not yet 100 percent back to the level I was at. But this season and this World Championship are helping me enormously. I live for moments and emotions like this. Sometimes I ask myself where I get the energy to keep fighting. But I think I just have this fire in me, and as long as I have this fire, I'm not setting myself a time horizon for the end of my career."
Ryan Regez says he owes this gold medal in mixed to you
Smith: "It takes both of them. It wasn't easy for either of them to be ready again the day after winning the singles. But yes, I had to unpack everything in the semi-final to make it to the final."
Now you are definitely back on the ideal track on the way to the Olympic Games in northern Italy next winter.
Regez: "The path is right. I hope the course will be right too. In any case, these are the big events that we are working towards and where we want to do well. At 32, I'm gradually reaching an advanced age as a skier. But as long as my body and mind are in good shape, I'm having fun and can keep up with the front runners, I want to keep going for a few more years."
