ÖSV technicians:

Already as many “podiums” as last year

Katharina Liensberger (left), Julia Scheib(Bild: AP/APA, AFP, AP)

With their second podium finish in the second race of the season, Austria's female ski technicians have already equaled their mini haul of the entire previous season. Head coach Roland Assinger has earmarked the podium finishers Julia Scheib and Katharina Liensberger as the driving force in the World Championship winter.

 "The individual performances are absolutely good for the team. We hope that a train will develop - the locomotives in front and the others following in the wake of the wind," said Assinger.

Roland Assinger(Bild: GEPA)

"Mental history"
Assinger is aware that Liensberger's second place in the Levi slalom behind a confident Mikaela Shiffrin covered up a poor team performance. For some, "the worm has been inside" since arriving in Levi, said the Carinthian. "I think it's a mental story. They can do more."

Katharina Huber was eliminated, but at least she was uninjured during her spectacular take-off. Katharina Truppe (19th) described her run as a "flop". And Katharina Gallhuber dropped back to 25th place with a botched second run. Others from the nine-strong team did not qualify for the final. So there is a lot of (build-up) work to be done in the short time until the home slalom in Gurgl next Saturday.

Playful
Liensberger, meanwhile, hopes to take the boost from Finland with him. "To be able to start the season like this is something very special. It felt really good today, sometimes playful," said the Vorarlberg native. "It gives me confidence."

The former world champion, who is now fully integrated into the team, is expected to set the pace in the ÖSV team. "We now have a driving force inside and will try to catch up with the other athletes," said Assinger.