At 41, Christof Innerhofer is one of the oldest racers in the Ski World Cup. In an interview with blue News, he reveals that he sees it as a huge privilege to do what he loves most every single day.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- At the age of 41, Christof Innerhofer continues to impress in the Ski World Cup and recently achieved 6th place in Val Gardena/Gröden and 10th place in Wengen.
- The Italian invests an enormous amount, trains alone in the summer and wants to fulfill his dream of taking part in a fifth Olympic Games.
- Despite setbacks and competition, Innerhofer is not thinking about quitting, but is continuing to fight for a comeback at the top of the world.
Christof Innerhofer was once again able to draw attention to himself in the downhill in Wengen, finishing in 10th place. The Italian has celebrated many successes in his long career, including two Olympic and three World Championship medals. Now aged 41, he is dreaming of his fifth Olympic appearance. In an interview with blue Sport, he explains what he is investing in order to be competitive and why retirement is not yet an issue for him.
With bib number 37, you made it to 10th place in the downhill in Wengen. Do you have an explanation for the strong result?
Christoph Innerhofer: My form is better than it has been for many years. I know the course inside out and already believed that I could achieve such a result. Finishing on the podium with my start number was impossible. If I had been able to get on the track today with an early start number, I would have come very close to the podium.
You are 41 years old and still racing in the Ski World Cup. Why is that?
Skiing is an addiction. Training, getting better, enjoying it is an addiction. The greatest privilege is doing what you love most 365 days a year. Podiums are never enough and neither are victories.
But your last podium was over seven years ago.
I don't know how many thousands of days I did what I love most. Every day. Racing, improving myself. Feeling the adrenaline and keeping fit. And that's why the motivation to fight my way back to the front is huge.
You have been starting at the back of the grid for some time now. How difficult is it to get back to the top of the world?
The last two or three years I've struggled because I simply wasn't used to the bad slopes after 15 years of nice slopes. This year I've got used to it better and I'm sure I'll manage to get further up the rankings.
With 6th place in Val Gardena/Gröden and 10th place in Wengen, you have again achieved strong results. But there is a lot of competition in the Italian speed team. Are you positive about a possible Olympic participation?
It is what it is. Of course it would have been good for me if I had started from a different position. In Val Gardena/Gröden I could have finished on the podium in the second race without the mistake on the inside ski. Then I would have started with a much lower number today and could have finished sixth or seventh. But I'm not giving up. I won't stop until I make the breakthrough again.
So you're not thinking of retiring?
There's nothing better. To be able to ride down here again. To know that I still have so many fans, even if I don't win anymore. Fortunately, it's also the person that counts. And it's not about how rich or how beautiful you are or how many podiums you have. I can say I've stayed the same and that's why I'm trying to pursue my childhood dream for as long as possible.
You are still one of the most popular drivers with the fans.
The fans also know that I once won here. They don't forget that I was also at the top. Last year, a fan saw me and said that he was happy to have met me and thanked me for the 19 years that he had been rooting for me and that he had watched the races because of me. Those are such beautiful sentences that I almost started crying myself. Then I see how many fans have you in their hearts.
How do you manage to still be competitive at the age of 41?
As soon as the other ski pros are on vacation in the summer, I'm alone on the Stelvio Pass in June, July and August and train. Then I wax six pairs of skis myself every day. No effort is too great for me to continue to make everything possible. I have to prepare the way that's right for me and if ski training with the national team doesn't start until August 20, that's too late for me.
So you need more ski days than a younger athlete?
The older you get, the quicker you lose the feeling. That's why you have to keep the feeling. When you're 20, you can play three hours of football, three hours of field hockey and everything just goes. And when you're 40, everything hurts the next day because you're just not used to it anymore. And for me, it's important to stay in rhythm.
Does being in the Ski World Cup with all your younger colleagues also keep you young?
When I think about the fact that I'm 41, I have to say: crazy! I remember watching Kitzbühel, Paul Accola was 36 and came tenth. The TV commentator then said: Unbelievable, Paul Accola tenth at that age. And today, at 41, I'm in 10th place. That also shows what's possible with the body and how long you can actually be as fit as a 20-year-old. And that's cool, generally for life. 40 is not old. Just like 50 and 60 is no longer old.
Does it feel special that you train with much younger teammates? Wengen winner Giovanni Franzoni (24) must have looked up to you in the past.
When I joined the national team, he was three years old. Dominik (Paris, the editors) and I always take the piss out of him when we talk about the past. When we talk about Kjetil André Aamodt, Lasse Kjus or Bruno Kernen - he doesn't know anyone and then always asks: Who are they?
