Only 2000 euros missing

Anna-Lena is only 2000 euros short of happiness

(Bild: Privat)

"I sat on the edge of the piste crying, had panic attacks and couldn't ski anymore," says 19-year-old Anna-Lena Voplakal from Vorarlberg, describing what she experienced when she tried to return to the piste last winter after tearing her cruciate ligament three years ago. "I didn't want to stop skiing like that."

"I raced downhill for years, but I had to realize that it just wasn't working anymore," recalls the Dornbirn native. In order to get back on skis and overcome her fear of the boards, which had meant everything to her for a long time, she decided to try her hand as a ski instructor on her local mountain, Bödele.

Anna-Lena Voplakal is keen on snow.(Bild: Privat)

Comeback as a ski instructor
With success! "I have no idea why, but suddenly I was able to ski again and the fear was gone," said the sports high school graduate. The joy was quickly back and, motivated in this way, the 19-year-old, who had started training in the circus in the meantime, was "itching" to look for a competitive challenge again. 
"But I was done with alpine skiing," Anna-Lena reveals. So what to do? "I already liked the discipline of ski cross at the school Olympics, so I just wanted to give it a try."

VSV boss Hlebayna mediates
No sooner said than done! Thanks to the mediation of VSV President Walter Hlebayna, she was able to travel to a training week with the ÖSV junior squad. And already made a very good impression there. "Anna-Lena is not afraid! That is definitely one of the most important prerequisites for this sport," says Ski Austria coach Matteo Fleischmann. She proved in her first races on the Reiteralm that the newcomer is also fast in duels with the competition. She made it into the small final twice.

Lussnig scatters roses
Something that also appeals to Leonie Lussnig from the Oberland, who is the same age as her, who made the switch from alpine skiing to ski cross before last season and was successful. "In the short time that she was able to train with us, Anna-Lena has developed very well," says the "Rauch Racerin", who is full of roses for her compatriot and hopes that her Kästle team-mate will take the plunge. "It would be very important for our sport if we had more girls in the next generation."

Anna-Lena Voplakal hopes that she will find the necessary supporters to get a little closer to her dream.(Bild: Privat)

Fundraising is underway
Voplakal definitely has the will. In order to realize her big dream - the ÖSV C squad qualification - Anna-Lena, who works as a lifeguard in Schwarzenberg in the summer and has even started a fundraising campaign, is looking for supporters to be able to afford a season as a co-trainer in the Ski Austria team. Nine days before the end of the campaign on June 30, she is only missing 2000 euros to finance the new season. Let's hope that the dream doesn't come to nothing...