For the British federation

First woman from Salzburg has her ticket for the home World Championships

Victoria Palla has not had any good performances in the World Cup this year.(Bild: GEPA pictures/ Matic Klansek)

Victoria Palla has been officially nominated for the Alpine World Ski Championships in Saalbach. The skier from Pinzgau, who competes for the British federation, is really looking forward to the major event on her doorstep. However, she has not yet been able to gain a foothold in the World Cup. Why she can take Petra Vlhova as a role model.

The first woman from Salzburg can officially look forward to the home World Championships in Saalbach in February. Slalom specialist Victoria Palla, who is known to compete for the British federation, has been officially nominated for the major event. "I'm really looking forward to it, it's very special for me to be there. My friends and family will be there," said the Pinzgau native jubilantly ahead of her start.

Victoria Palla has not yet had a successful experience in the World Cup.(Bild: GEPA pictures/ Harald Steiner)

In the current season, she has had the opportunity to compete in four World Cup slaloms - but has failed to impress. Three times she was eliminated in the first run and once she did not qualify for the second run. 

Olympic champion also had problems at the beginning
"It's different when you're racing in training. I was also nervous, had problems with my equipment and often got it wrong," explains the 24-year-old. As far as her first World Cup appearances are concerned, however, she can take Olympic champion Petra Vlhova as a role model. The Slovakian also struggled with the transition to the elite at the beginning, only scoring points once in her first ten appearances. "I can already tell that it's a head problem," says Palla. She wants to train well before the World Championships and gain confidence in the Nor-Am Cup in Canada. "I just want to have fun there," she said before taking off.