ÖSV qualification for Sölden

Prominent ski name about to make a comeback in the World Cup

Angelina Salzgeber has been in Sölden with her family from an early age - now she is dreaming of making her World Cup debut on the Rettenbachferner.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Salzgebers Sölden)

On Wednesday in Sölden, the last available starting places in the ÖSV team for the World Cup opening on October 26th will be up for grabs. Seven ladies are vying for the three tickets still available. With Junior World Champion Victoria Olivier and Angelina Salzgeber, two women from Vorarlberg are also taking part - although a start in Sölden would be something very special for "Angie" in particular.

"The World Cup opener in Sölden has always been a fixed point in the year for me since I was little," says Angelina Salzgeber. No wonder, as it is the first highlight of the season for dad Rainer as Head Race Director, where the whole family is usually on site.

This year, however, the 20-year-old from Bartholomäberg has the chance to take part as an athlete herself for the first time. However, "Angie" has to secure one of the three free tickets in the internal team qualification today. "That alone is a dream come true for me," admits Salzgeber, who was able to train on the Rettenbachferner race slope for the first time yesterday. "To be honest, I was extremely nervous before the first run."

October 2009: The then 5-year-old Angelina (2nd from left) with dad Rainer, sister Amanda and mom Anita Wachter-Salzgeber at the World Cup opening in Sölden.(Bild: Gerhard Gradwohl)

Dreimäderlhaus 2014: Angelina, Anita and Amanda enjoy the sun on the Rettenbachferner.(Bild: Christof Birbaumer)

How do they rate their chances of a starting place? "I feel in top shape, I'm in a good mood. And if the coaches didn't think I could do it, I wouldn't have got a place in the qualifiers in the first place."

Olivier has learned from 2022
One of her six opponents for a ticket for the giant slalom on October 26 is Victoria Olivier. The 20-year-old from Auer should have already competed in the Sölden qualifiers in 2022 - but tore her cruciate ligament shortly beforehand. "I learned a lot from that," says the reigning junior world champion in the downhill. "Back then, I put too much pressure on myself with everything." Something that "Vici" - who has since overcome the knee problems that have plagued her since the spring - should not happen again. "But if it works out with the start, it would of course be great."

However, the head skier's focus this winter is on the European Cup - where she has her sights set on competing in all disciplines. "That's something that has to be planned very carefully, though," explains the Bregenzerwald native, who made her World Cup debut in the downhill in Saalbach in March.