Pressure during the World Ski Championships

DSV ace: “Having to avert a debacle …”

Slalom ace Linus Straßer won a medal for Germany after all.

(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Slalom ace Linus Straßer has spoken out about the pressure on German athletes during the World Ski Championships. The 32-year-old tried to distance himself from it: "I didn't put on the shoe of having to avert a debacle right from the start," emphasizes the German. He also reveals why he is grateful to Austria. 

The Germans actually trembled right up to the last second of the World Ski Championships. In the last race, slalom ace Straßer finally managed to snatch a bronze medal after all. There was great relief in his home country that he did not have to leave Saalbach without a medal. 

However, Straßer himself had largely distanced himself from the pressure that prevailed in the run-up, as he explained on "Sport und Talk" on Servus TV: "I didn't put on the shoe of having to avert a debacle right from the start. I was there for myself. The time and energy I put in, I put in for myself." 

Praise for Feller and Austria
So the medal is also primarily a personal triumph: "The federation lays the foundations, but this is my medal. Even if I'm happy to be able to celebrate with my federation." He had to tremble for a long time as to whether it would be enough for precious metal, but in the end he was able to celebrate - also to the chagrin of Manuel Feller.

In the end, the ÖSV athlete was 27 hundredths behind the German. "It's not a concert of wishes, it's an extreme competition for the athlete. One day and two runs count. There are three winners and the rest are losers. I'm aware that it was very close for me. That's how close fourth place was to a medal for me. So Felli's performance should also be highly rated," says Straßer, taking up the cudgels for his rival. 

The World Championships themselves left a good impression on the German. "The organization was a masterstroke. With the valley behind it, the stands, the athletes, team hospitality, everything was tiptop". He also has some special praise for Austria: "I owe a lot to the country and the people, I was trained as a skier here and I'm happy with the way I was treated here. I owe Austria a debt of gratitude."