After the super-G in Kitz

“We have to do something!” FIS reacts to crash orgy

At the Alpine World Ski Championships in Saalbach-Hinterglemm, the ongoing issue of safety is to be raised to a higher level. FIS Chief Race Director Markus Waldner announced meetings between the ski industry, doctors and head coaches of the national associations for February 6 and 12 at the team captains' meeting in Kitzbühel.

"We have to do something. Three helicopter missions are too much, there are problems everywhere," Waldner told ORF afterwards. "We have to create a buffer again."

(Bild: GEPA)

Swiss skier Marco Odermatt's triumph in the Super-G on the Streif had previously been overshadowed by a series of crashes. There were several causes of crashes and injuries. "Not just the carbon inserts." Criticism has also been leveled at some of the course settings. "Of course, certain things could perhaps have been avoided if the Seidlalm course had been set rounder," said Waldner about the course set by DSV coach Andreas Evers on Friday. However, there were no objections from the coaches and skiers. "That's why we left it as it was."

"Not a millimeter of leeway"
Many falls were due to technical errors. "With the material, there's not a millimeter of leeway," Waldner noted. It's not about passing the buck to the ski industry. "The ideal solution would actually be for less aggressive tuning to be faster."

"Then they'll grumble again"
If the currently rock-hard ice slopes were to be made softer again as a result, "the cat would bite its tail. Then they'll start complaining about holes and potholes again like they used to," said Waldner. There are obviously plans to make skiing safer again. "We have already drawn up a catalog of measures with the Athlete Health Unit (AHU). Now we will discuss what short-term changes are possible."