Operation brought forward

Next ÖSV giant slalom skier to miss home World Championships

Elisabeth Kappaurer and ÖSV women's director Roland Assinger.

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

"At some point, you start to think about what it will be like when you grow up," admits Elisabeth Kappaurer. "I'm definitely sure that after my career I want to ski, play soccer and play tennis with my children." This is one of the reasons why the 30-year-old ended her season early and underwent cartilage reconstruction surgery with doctor Christian Fink at the Hochrum Sanatorium on January 8 - but not the only one.

 "After my fall on October 7, in which I suffered a cartilage fracture in my left knee, the cartilage was cleaned out and smoothed," explains the Bezau native. "The rehab only took a few weeks and I was able to ski again quickly, albeit with pain. However, Dr. Fink also said that we would definitely have to do the reconstruction, which involves implanting cartilage material from the thigh into the main stress zone on the knee." The plan was to reassess the situation after the home World Championships in Saalbach. But now everything went much faster, which was not only due to the pain.

Qualifying in the top 30 despite starting number
"Shortly before the Semmering giant slalom, I was told that I had to qualify," says the Kappaur native. "It came as a complete surprise to me, as I would have started with a number under 30 at that point, which was always the criterion for not having to qualify." After she had to miss the opening race in Sölden due to injury and was the third best ÖSV lady in the race in Killington, but missed the final by 0.68 seconds in 39th place, she had slipped out of the top 30 in the World Cup start list, which was ultimately the decisive criterion for ÖSV women's head coach Roland Assinger.

Elisabeth Kappaurer had her only World Cup start of the season in Killington.

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Only one chance of a World Cup ticket
"But that also includes retired skiers like Ragnhild Mowinckel and injured skiers like Mika Shiffrin and Petra Vlhova," says Lisi, who lost out in the internal elimination in Obdach - where she competed with Kathi Huber, Kathi Truppe and Nina Astner for a starting place. "Then I was told that I wouldn't be racing in Kranjska Gora either, but that I would be back at Kronplatz." In other words, she would have had just one race left to realize her big goal of competing at her home World Championships in Saalbach. "That was something I just didn't see myself doing and I didn't want to risk my future health," admits the Bregenzerwald native.

Full focus on the long rehab
In the meantime, she is already looking ahead again. "After this operation, I have to walk on crutches for six weeks. Rehab will take nine months in total. I will definitely do everything I can to get back in top shape as quickly as possible," says Kappaurer, describing her near future. She has already planned her next World Cup appearance: "I want to keep my fingers crossed for Ariane Rädler and the other girls at the finish in just under two weeks' time at the women's races in Garmisch." Whether she will also come to the World Championships in Saalbach, however, is still open to Lisi...