"Boarder king" Karl

“If it goes well, I can win both”

Snowboard legend Benjamin Karl is chasing World Cup gold numbers six and seven.(Bild: Neumayr / Leo / ServusTV)

The onset of winter in Austria's Alps - and what is Benjamin Karl doing? The Olympic snowboarding champion is heading to Holland on Thursday. To the ski hall! To Landgraaf, where World Cups have already been held. "Firstly, the weather is forecast to be so bad that it wouldn't work anywhere outside anyway," reveals "Benji", "plus it's already a bit of a tradition for us to ski in this hall." And as preparation for a season in which even more gold beckons.

Until yesterday, Karl was in summer sports mode: the snowboarding legend has already cycled 8,000 kilometers this year. "10,000 more to come," winks "King Karl". He finished 40th on his mountain bike at the Dolomitenmann in his adopted home town of Lienz just last weekend. "I didn't want to start at first because I wasn't feeling so well the days before. But then it was okay anyway."

"Benji" last raced on his bike at the Dolomitenmann.(Bild: Mirja Geh / Red Bull Content Pool)

"Benji" only left his bike at home once in the summer: when he was in China. Because apparently he made an impression there with his Olympic victory in Beijing. "A snowboard club asked if I would like to train them." And he actually got on the plane with his lady of the heart Nina and their two daughters. "It wasn't a vacation. Because the sea was far away. I was in Chengdu in the ski hall - it was 30 degrees outside. And it's not bad for the children to get to know other cultures."

The World Cup title defense and the World Championships in the Engadine await in winter.(Bild: GEPA pictures/ Matic Klansek)

Kick-off in China
It wasn't bad for dad to get used to China again: The World Cup is starting there for the first time with four races - two in Mylin, two in Yanqing. "But I haven't been there yet, I only know the Olympic track in Beijing."

However, the highlight of the coming season will be in the Engadin: in March at the World Championships. Will there be gold number six or even seven? Or does defending the title in the World Cup take priority? "If things go well, I can win both. Then it's not an either-or."