In the Ski World Cup, voices are being raised calling for slower and uniform racing suits in the interests of safety. The Austrian federation is in favor of this, but Swiss-Ski disagrees.
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- The current World Cup season has been overshadowed by numerous crashes and injuries. For most experts on the scene, one thing is clear: safety in skiing needs to be improved.
- However, opinions differ as to how this should be done. Recently, voices have been raised calling for an adjustment to the rules regarding racing suits.
- While the Austrian federation is convinced by the proposal, Swiss-Ski CEO Walter Reusser is of a different opinion.
The speed dominance of the Swiss men in this World Cup winter is overwhelming. Swiss-Ski has claimed 9 of 14 possible victories so far. Last Sunday's super-G in Kvitfjell - the 15th speed race of the season - was the first time that no Swiss skier finished on the podium.
From the competitors' point of view, the Swiss winning streak should of course slow down drastically in the near future. The Austrian federation in particular is now calling for a change in the rules. They are proposing the introduction of uniform, slower racing suits. However, this has less to do with Swiss dominance than with the numerous serious crashes and injuries.
More safety through standardized racing suits?
"We support everything that makes our sport safer. And we are convinced that the introduction of thicker suits could reduce the speed by 5 kilometers per hour," Austrian Alpine Director Herbert Mandl is quoted as saying in "Blick".
Hans Knauss, current ORF expert and former Hahnenkamm winner, agrees with Mandl. "We must do everything we can to ensure that we have far fewer injuries in skiing in the future. And I also believe that we could take a first step in the right direction with uniform, slower racing suits," says Knauss.
Reusser disagrees
On the Swiss-Ski side, however, things sound different. "Slower suits will certainly not improve safety in skiing. If the athletes are slower in the gliding sections because of the suits, they can build up more speed in the turns," says CEO Walter Reusser, adding: "That's why the FIS should focus on better preparation of the piste, then we will also have fewer serious injuries."
Knauss is not surprised by Reusser's objection. "If I were Swiss, I would also speak out against uniform racing suits, after all they are currently number 1 in this area too," says the 54-year-old. After all, the Swiss overweight is even more obvious in high-speed passages, says Knauss: "This is a clear indication that the Swiss suits are particularly aerodynamic."
The last word is probably far from spoken. It will continue - at the latest at the FIS Congress in Portugal in May.
