"Crown" stoplight

Many horror crashes: Radical rethinking required

"Krone" head of sport Peter Moizi on the many crashes in the Ski World Cup(Bild: GEPA)

The blink of an eye. Austria's men were just eleven hundredths short of their first win of the season, Raphael Haaser had the fans cheering at the start of the Hahnenkamm weekend. The coaches and bosses in the Ski World Cup, on the other hand, are frowning. Serious injuries have been a recurring theme throughout the winter. Torn knee joints, brain haemorrhages, broken ribs and bones - almost 30 (!) athletes, including absolute top skiers, are already out of action this season, a worrying rate.

Too many horror crashes overshadow the World Cup, the shock is deep-seated. Experts are calling for a radical rethink. The aggressive equipment is being pushed to the limit, there is no room for mistakes. There is a fine line between a perfect run and a helicopter departure.

While Formula 1 has subordinated everything to safety over the last three decades and has constantly evolved, the image of skiing is crumbling. The stars are calling for consequences and there is resentment. The program should be reduced, the pursuit of speed limited. The world federation is under severe pressure to act.