Venier after World Championship gold:

“That was the best run I’ve ever shown”

Great jubilation throughout the ÖSV team

(Bild: Pail Sepp/Kronen Zeitung)

Stephanie Venier slept really badly before the gold race, was consumed by nervousness before the start - and then still became the oldest super-G world champion. "That was the best run I've ever shown in my career."

Home you are great daughters! Stephanie Venier didn't sing along to the national anthem in the finish area. She had to fight. Against the tears. And the new super-G world champion lost this "race": "That's when I got emotional. Because you remember all the hard times you've had, how you were at the bottom."

A few meters away from the World Championship podium, Stephie's boyfriend Christian Walder was also close to the water. The evening before, the ski couple had joked about what a good omen start number 7 was. Just like Venier's super-G victory in Crans Montana a year ago, when Federica Brignone was second with number 6.

Again Stephie had 7, again "Fede" had 6, but that didn't reassure the Tyrolean in any way. The night before the gold race had been really bad: "I slept sooo badly. Because I put so much pressure on myself. I really wanted to perform in front of all my family and friends. I also didn't want to disappoint all the fans."

The bad night's sleep was lost in a sea of nervousness before the race. She has rarely been so excited in her career.

Stephanie Venier beams with her World Championship gold medal.

(Bild: Pail Sepp/Kronen Zeitung)

"That was the best run I've ever had in my career"
And was rewarded for her nerves with the biggest success of her career. When Stephie crossed the finish line one tenth and 2.61 meters ahead of Brignone, she was not yet sooo convinced of her great triumph. "Was that good?" she asked press officer Manuela Riegler. It was. Friend Christian also nodded contentedly in the stands: "At least that's a podium place." It was only when one super-G favorite after another failed to beat Venier's time that it slowly dawned on her in the leader's chair: "That was the best run I've ever shown in my career," she said proudly.

Eight years after winning the World Championship silver medal in the downhill in St. Moritz, Venier made it to the top step of the podium. The fact that US coach Alex Hödlmoser, speed coach of the Ski Austria women two years ago, had set a course without many bends certainly suited Venier.

But the fact that she has now become the oldest super-G world champion in World Championship history at the age of 31 didn't suit her at all: "That sounds wild. I'm not that old yet!" And she still has a lot planned. In the Saturday downhill, in the World Cup and probably also at the 2026 Olympics.