With Lara Gut-Behrami and Corinne Suter, Swiss-Ski is missing two team leaders at the home World Cup in St. Moritz. Women's head coach Beat Tschuor talks to blue Sport about the difficult situation.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- Swiss-Ski loses two key athletes, Lara Gut-Behrami and Corinne Suter, through injury before the start of the speed season.
- Women's head coach Beat Tschuor speaks of a "big loss", but also sees opportunities for other Swiss athletes.
- The speed season starts on Friday in St. Moritz. Two downhill races and a super-G are on the program.
The last few weeks have not been easy for the Swiss-Ski women's team. Lara Gut-Behrami tore her cruciate ligament, medial collateral ligament and meniscus in a training crash in Copper Mountain on November 20.
Another Swiss team leader, Corinne Suter, was injured recently. The speed specialist crashed a week ago during downhill training in St. Moritz and suffered a torn muscle fiber in her lower left leg, a bruised left knee joint and a fracture in the back of her foot. Although the 2022 Olympic downhill champion does not require surgery, she will be out of action for around a month.
The Swiss women's team will therefore have to make do without its most successful athletes for the upcoming first speed races of the season. blue Sport met women's head coach Beat Tschuor in St. Moritz and spoke to him about the difficult situation.
There has been several pieces of bad news for Swiss Ski in recent weeks. First Lara Gut-Behrami was injured and now Corinne Suter. Beat Tschuor, how have you experienced the last few weeks?
This has triggered a dynamic in which many media are suddenly involved. Firstly, the loss of the athletes, then the whole process until you know exactly what's going on, the communication process to the outside world ... It wasn't easy with either athlete. They are two very important athletes for the team, a very big loss. You have to manage that calmly. I always say that this is unfortunately part of our sport. You can't dismiss it - it's just important that we continue to work well with the riders we still have in the team and do our job. We simply have to move forward, anything else is pointless. And get those who are injured back on track as quickly as possible.
How have the other riders in the team dealt with this?
You see with the athletes - and this is going to sound silly - but these injuries are commonplace. Not the serious injuries, of course. There are a lot of athletes missing from the World Cup in general, but everyone else has to think ahead. Everyone has their own business, their own company and has to do their job and perform at their best.
Does it have an impact on the Swiss team if the two team leaders are missing?
Of course we're missing both of them, but we have no other choice, that's just a fact. Of course it has an impact. Whether it's negative or positive, every coach and every athlete has to make the best of it. It can also have the effect that another rider suddenly comes to the surface that you haven't seen before. There is always a plus and a minus.
Does more space to prove yourself also mean more pressure?
As a rule, you put pressure on yourself or allow it to build up. It usually comes from outside. You can also create it yourself, there are different ways of doing it. I always say: there are opportunities for others. Of course, these very important athletes are missing, but they are all important.
Is it doubly annoying that both athletes dropped out of training before the speed competitions really got underway?
Both were in very good shape. Especially Lara, she started the season with a podium. And Corinne was also in very good shape, had very good preparation and then got injured just before St. Moritz. These are unpleasant situations before the season starts.
What can we expect from the other athletes who are now in St. Moritz?
We'll see next week. They're giving it their all, we Swiss are in a good position and we'll see what comes out.
