"Stay focused!"

Fixed! Venier shakes off curse and secures World Championship tickets

Stephanie Venier

(Bild: GEPA)

As fifth in the downhill and second in the super-G at the World Cup races in St. Anton at the weekend, Stephanie Venier has booked two tickets for the World Ski Championships in Saalbach-Hinterglemm! And shook off her December slump. "I've only finished on the podium once in December in my entire life. I have no idea what's often going on there," said the 31-year-old from Oberperfuss. "Now there are three race weekends coming up where I have to stay focused."

After 17th place in the downhill and 13th in the super-G in Beaver Creek and 19th in the super-G in St. Moritz, Venier struggled at the start of the season with making mistakes. "If I hadn't done the show-stopping moves in the two super-Gs, I would have finished in the top ten," recalled the 2017 downhill runner-up, who didn't allow any "negative swirls" afterwards.

The break over Christmas was also helpful for her knee, as she had suffered a knock at the FIS race in Copper Mountain at the beginning of December and was no longer able to perform. Thanks to a lot of therapy, she has the problem under control and is pain-free when skiing. And ready for the World Championships. "It's good to have a result, especially a podium. I have to stay focused and keep working hard."

It all began in St. Anton
Venier's downhill career in the World Cup began exactly twelve years ago to the day in St. Anton - the then 19-year-old finished 39th. "I stood at the top and didn't know whether to laugh because I was there or moan because it was so hard. I asked myself: Steffi, do you really want to do this to yourself for the rest of your life and ski downhill your whole career? Because it's not really that much fun." But she went through with it and it seems to have paid off ...

Of course, she has long enjoyed skiing and felt a "huge sense of relief" on Sunday. "You go to sleep much better after coming fifth yesterday. And you get up better in the morning," said Venier, who was also happy for her South Tyrolean service man Simon. "It's his first podium in the World Cup. It was perfect for us right from the start. He is such a sensitive person." And apparently also with the right feel for the snow, because the athlete leaves the choice of how he prepares the race skis to him "with one hundred percent confidence".

Only "wild hen" Macuga faster
On Sunday, only 22-year-old Lauren Macuga was faster in the super-G, "a wild hen" as Venier said. "She still has a bit of the youthful recklessness that I once had, but now I ski more carefully. I left one American behind, the other was faster," she said, looking at the results list. The one who was left behind is 40-year-old Lindsey Vonn, who continued her sensational comeback with fourth place after finishing sixth in the downhill the day before.

Incidentally, when Vonn competed in her debut race in the Park City slalom on November 18, 2000 as a 16-year-old, her compatriot Macuga had not yet been born. On Sunday, the two celebrated as if they had been teammates forever and Vonn captured the historic moment with her instant camera.