Stefan Lindinger

Jack-of-all-trades ensured a historic flight of fancy

Full focus: Stefan Lindinger.(Bild: Reiko Kolatsk)

Stefan Lindinger took the plunge into the deep end. In spring 2023, he took on the role of head coach of a biathlon team for the first time. After his first season, one thing is clear: the gamble paid off and the man from Salzburg celebrated great success with Estonia.

A look at Stefan Lindinger's CV reveals a lot: This man has experienced a lot. And has a lot more under his belt.

He was a professor at the University of Rif for 24 years and held a professorship at the University of Gothenburg for several years. In the 1990s, he worked with Thomas Muster, the former number one in the world tennis rankings. For several years, he was one of the coaches of former tennis ace Barbara Schett.

For his dissertation, the Salzburger-by-choice once cooperated with the Norwegian Ski Association and analyzed the technique of cross-country skiing superstars such as Bjørn Dæhlie (eight-time Olympic champion and nine-time world champion) and Thomas Alsgaard (five-time Olympic champion, six-time world champion).

Lindinger: "Role as head coach has peaked me"
Under coaching legend Wolfgang Pichler, he was part of the coaching staff of the Russian biathletes, but left the team before the 2014 Olympic Games in Sochi. Lindinger has also realized various projects with numerous local winter sports athletes. Last winter, he ventured into new territory.

"The role of head coach really appealed to me," reveals the 55-year-old, who played tennis himself as a child and teenager, was a good ski racer and later switched to the Nordics (cross-country skiing, biathlon). It was a good thing that this role was available in Estonia. "It's a very sporty country with around 1.3 million inhabitants and a very good sports structure," he says.

Although the Balts have had nothing to report in the biathlon in recent years, he identified "a middle-class nation with potential. That's why I was interested. Even if I wasn't one hundred percent sure what to expect."

Wolfgang Pichler (left) and Stefan Lindinger.(Bild: ZVG)

In May 2023, he traveled to Otepää, took a look at the conditions on site - and signed a contract. "That's when I turned the story around. I used to be a university professor, now I'm head coach," grins the native of East Tyrol. "I always believed I could do this job," he emphasizes, before admitting: "It wasn't easy."

Showing strength - investing a lot of energy
The first summer preparation with the Estonians was a real test. In recent years, there have always been tensions among the athletes, not all of whom train under the guidance of the federation. Lindinger had to be tough and show strength. This earned him respect, but also cost him a lot of energy.

The fact that the majority of his squad also fell ill with coronavirus at the start of the season and the hoped-for sporting upturn initially failed to materialize also contributed to a complicated start in a new role. But Lindinger believed in the new path, in his idea. And was to reap the first successes as the season progressed.

It's a science, I thought about exactly what we had to do beforehand. But you also need the necessary luck for the training to work. That worked extremely well for us.

Stefan LINDINGER

His team, which has significantly less budget and manpower than the Austrian team, for example, really got rolling at the highlight of the season during the Biathlon World Championships in Nove Mesto na Morave in the Czech Republic. "We did a great job in the last three weeks before the World Championships," he says, proud that the Estonians managed to build up their form perfectly.

It was anything but a "gmahte Wiesn". "It's a science, I thought about exactly what we had to do beforehand. But you also need the necessary luck for the training to work. That worked extremely well for us," he says proudly. The fact that the service staff also did an excellent job and the Estonians had fast skis under their feet was another important building block on the road to success.

"Biathlon is the most important winter sport"
Tuuli Tomingas and Regina Ermits, until then at best fellow runners, excelled in the Czech highlands. In the women's relay, Estonia was even on course for a medal for a long time and ultimately finished in fourth place. A historic success, as the ladies had never been anywhere near as competitive before.

Stefan Lindinger is a sought-after interview partner.(Bild: Reiko Kolatsk)

The enthusiasm among the rather cool Northern Europeans was huge. Not only were there numerous media representatives on site - unlike in Austria - but there was also plenty of excitement at home. "Biathlon is absolutely the most important winter sport in Estonia," explains Lindinger. "Live television is present at almost all World Cups. I constantly had press appointments, which I wasn't used to at all."

Things haven't really calmed down in recent weeks. The Estonians are determined to continue their collaboration with Lindinger. The 55-year-old, who flew under the radar in this country for a long time ("Many people don't even know that I work in Estonia"), can well imagine staying.

In view of the Estonian successes, however, it cannot be ruled out that other associations will contact him - and the CV of the jack-of-all-trades will be one chapter richer.