The points pioneer

Hirscher’s pioneer makes Ländle ski youth fast

Harald de Man (left) has been coaching the Vorarlberg youth squad for several years.

(Bild: Maurice Shourot)

Marcel Hirscher has broken many records in his career. However, with 23rd place in Sölden, he was not the first Dutchman to make it into the World Cup points. Harald de Man achieved this "feat" in November 1998 at the Super-G in Aspen. Today, the now 51-year-old is at home in Vorarlberg, where he is working on the red-white-red ski jewels of the future.

"I can't say how much enthusiasm there is for Marcel Hirscher in the Netherlands. But it's definitely being followed by the public and newspapers like 'De Telegraaf' are reporting on it," reveals Harald de Man. The 51-year-old was born in Alkmaar and finished 26th in the Super-G in Aspen (US) on November 27, 1998, scoring the first five World Cup points for the Netherlands. "I was a bit of a pioneer," smiles De Man, who has now lived in Vorarlberg for many years and coaches the VSV youth squad.

Start of the season on the Resterhöhe
In this role, the racing season begins for him on Saturday with the FIS slalom on the Resterhöhe on the border between Tyrol and Salzburg. With Leo Heim (SC Kleinwalsertal), however, only one VSV athlete will be taking part. "Although we have been on skis more in preparation than last season, it is currently more important for our athletes born in 2007 and 2008 to collect training days than to start racing," says De Man. Christopher Lisch, a 2006 athlete, has also moved from the Oberland to Kitzbühel and is now competing for the KSC.

Rapid rise possible
De Man, who has welcomed 42-year-old Montafon native Marcel Lorenzin, an ex-European Cup skier, to the coaching team, does not want to set expectations for his protégés: "But we've seen with Moritz Zudrell that things can happen quickly with our boys. He was also with us and started in the World Cup two years later."