"Difficult years"

ÖSV lady honest: “That changed everything”

Katharina Liensberger has made a good start to the new season.

(Bild: GEPA/GEPA pictures)

Katharina Liensberger is satisfied with the start to the new Ski World Cup season. The ÖSV athlete has struggled with setbacks in recent years and is now looking forward to being back at the top. "Suddenly everything was easy again. It's wonderful," says the 27-year-old. 

Things are finally going well again for Liensberger. After her podium finish in Levi, the ÖSV athlete also showed at the slalom in Gurgl that she is a force to be reckoned with again this year. Although seventh place is not a major highlight for the winner of the 2020/21 season's slalom crystal globe, a look at her past two years gives an idea of the real value. 

After all, things didn't go according to plan after her big triumph. "When I look back, many things in my career came extremely easily to me, it was always uphill. But the step backwards... Those were the hard days that I don't like to remember," summarizes Liensberger in an interview with "Eurosport". 

There were reasons for the crisis
It was a time of sporting decline that left its mark on the 27-year-old. "I had a longer phase in which things didn't work out. And not without reason. After my successes, everything changed and was rearranged, including in the team," analyzes the ski racer. The major changes meant that familiar processes were altered - and things didn't work out with the new coach Livio Magoni. 

The collaboration ended after a few months. "Last year, we reorganized ourselves," says Liensberger, who also sees this as the key to her new success: "It took time to get to know each other. Thanks to the commitment and dedication of my team, we have managed to perform at the very highest level once again."

Liensberger is delighted to be back in the top positions. "On certain turns, I felt like I was flying. Suddenly everything was easy again. That's wonderful," says the 27-year-old happily. But now she wants to stay calm. "I want to feel good and bring that to the snow. If my turns feel good, then I know I can step on the gas and push myself to the limit," is the recipe for success.