Ski armada in Ushuaia

The southernmost city in the world as a country metropolis

The Ländle delegation in Ushuaia: Jakob Greber, Noel Zwischenbrugger, Patrick Feurstein, Christian Hirschbühl and Moritz Zudrell (from left).(Bild: zVg)

"The city at the end of the world" is the nickname of Ushuaia, a city of 82,000 inhabitants at the southernmost end of Argentina. However, it is not only Spanish that is currently spoken there. The Vorarlberg dialect can also be heard here and there. No wonder, as five Ländle skiers are preparing for the World Cup season there.

"The temperatures here in Ushuaia are a lot higher than they were this time last year, almost spring-like," reports Patrick Feurstein from Mellau, who is currently preparing for the upcoming World Cup season with the ÖSV WC4 group at the southern tip of Argentina. And the 27-year-old is not the only Vorarlberger in the southernmost city in the world.

In addition to Lauterach veteran Christian Hirschbühl, who is working towards a comeback next winter after a lengthy injury, Feurstein's club colleague Noel Zwischenbrugger is also taking part. They are joined by another Mellau native, 21-year-old Jakob Greber, and last season's high-flyer, 19-year-old Moritz Zudrell from Silbertal. "The two of them have settled in well with the group and we have a lot of fun together," reveals Patrick, who decided to return to his longstanding supplier Rossignol in the spring. "It wasn't a big change for me and things are going really well again."

In the new season, Patrick Feurstein is once again relying on Rossignol equipment.(Bild: zVg)

The new group coach Wolfi Auderer and his team see it the same way: "In terms of skiing technique, the coaches are already quite happy with me," says the police athlete, who also wants to compete in races as part of the South American Cup next week. "That's all about FIS points so that I can work my way up the start list again."