In an interview with blue Sport, Swiss skiing legend Pirmin Zurbriggen reveals why he was unable to enjoy his career, what works best against the pressure to succeed and why he always "slept like an organ".
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- Pirmin Zurbriggen is the most successful Swiss skier to date.
- In an interview with blue Sport, Zurbriggen explains why he was always able to sleep well and why he retired at the age of 27.
- Zurbriggen explains why he "couldn't be normal at all" and reveals that he told Marco Odermatt about his mistakes.
Pirmin Zurbriggen is also on site as part of the 100-year anniversary of the Kästle ski brand. The Valais native skied on Kästle skis for many years and is still the most successful Swiss ski racer today. Zurbriggen takes time for an interview for blue Sport and looks back on his active time, tells anecdotes and reveals what makes Marco Odermatt so strong.
You were just named the best skier in history when you were introduced and shook your head. Why?
Pirmin Zurbriggen: There's no such thing. Everyone has their own story, there are always different elements. Was a Stenmark better than someone who skied four disciplines? Based on the results, I'm one of the best, but certainly not the best.
Marco Odermatt is one of the best. He has 37 World Cup victories and will probably soon equal your Swiss record of 40 victories. Are you happy about that?
Definitely. It was always said that it would never be possible for a Swiss to achieve that. If he continues to ride for a while, it will definitely be possible.
Odermatt is only 27 years old. On the other hand, you retired at the age of 27.
I had an insane workload with my four disciplines. I'm less worried about him because downhill and super-G are more or less the same element. Even if there are a few more races. But when you switch from downhill to slalom, it's such a huge workload, which you also have to do with training during the season. I'm often on the slope from 6 to 8 pm in the evening to train for the slalom so that I can ski the slalom the next day. The slalom is often the worst element for your back. You don't even see those little bumps in the slalom. They really drive into your back and joints. They can really handicap you.
Did you end your career so early because of your body?
Yes, that was one thing. But I was also totally burnt out.
In what way?
There was a lot of hype. I was more or less left alone. The Swiss Championships were in Gstaad in 1985. There were 7000 fans there. There was just a tiny net, of course people all ran over it. You couldn't be normal. The hype I experienced in 1985 and 1987 was very, very big. I got between 1000 and 1500 autograph cards to sign every day.
How did you deal with the pressure to succeed?
Switch off, look at other things. From a mental point of view, it was very important not to read the newspapers all winter. Not one.
That wouldn't be possible nowadays.
I was able to switch off much better than athletes today with social media, they are influenced from all sides. Bode Miller once said: "If only I could ski, I'd be the happiest person." And that's true. You have to come back to this segment, to this world. It's all about skiing and then you enjoy it again. And as soon as the joy is there, the motivation is there again. I've also learned to deal with the pressure over the years. It was always the same elements that helped you to avoid the pressure.
What are they?
Put simply, the best way to deal with the pressure was humility. Simplicity, the beauty of the sport. Those were the basic elements. The rest will follow.
You were also very religious at the time. Did it also take some of the pressure off you? The belief that there is something greater than a man skiing down a slope?
Oh yes, exactly. When you have that, you have all the strength and power. You sleep like an organ while the other person next to you is almost dying of nervousness. But you have to learn that, it doesn't happen overnight.
Have you been able to enjoy your career, all the great successes?
No. I never had the time. I was so caught up in this thing. Hello, ciao and off again. That's how it felt. And suddenly I realized that I was done. Now I don't like it anymore.
Profile of Pirmin Zurbriggen
- Date of birth: February 4, 1963
- Place of birth: Saas-Almagell
- World Cup debut: December 7, 1980
- End of career: March 17, 1990
- Current profession: Hotelier
- Greatest successes:
1x Olympic gold, 1x Olympic bronze
9 World Championship medals, including 4x gold
4x overall World Cup victory
12 victories in World Cup discipline rankings
40 World Cup victories (victories in all five disciplines)
Is Marco Odermatt facing a similar fate?
Everything is much more professional today. There are media managers, mental coaches and so on.
Have you ever been in contact with Odermatt to give him a few tips?
We've communicated with each other a few times and I've told him about my mistakes. But he does a great job anyway, sets himself apart and simply enjoys skiing.
You have been world champion, Olympic champion and overall World Cup winner. How do you motivate yourself when you've already won everything?
Very difficult. You have to constantly introduce yourself to a new world, a new idea and a new challenge. You're in a never-ending process. It's important to realize that you can only do it once in your life, after that it's over. You have to try to give it your all. By the time you've worked your way up to the top, you've already got a big story behind you. Not everyone has the chance to be at the top. Sometimes you don't realize that enough in these situations.
Would you like to be a professional skier in this day and age?
Honestly? Yes! That must be an amazing feeling. To ski with this equipment. But I wouldn't want to be involved in all this social media stuff. I'm not a showman. When I see Odermatt or Shiffrin, I think they reveal a lot about their private lives. You have to be prepared to do that. You have to enjoy it.