A few surprises

Saalbach was the stage for the new ski superstars

Franjo von Allmen (center) crowned himself double world champion in Saalbach: gold in downhill and team combined. Lauren Macuga (right) proved her great talent with a bronze medal in the super-G. Alice Robinson (left) won silver in the giant slalom, the first World Championship gold medal in New Zealand's skiing history.(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Christof Birbaumer / Sepp Pail / )

Raphael Haaser, Stephanie Venier, Franjo Von Allmen, Breezy Johnson and Lauren Macuga wrote wonderful stories. A World Cup really does have its own rules.

Those who had the right instinct and a little courage to take risks at this World Cup won big in all the betting games and betting shops. There was hardly anything to be won with safety tips in Saalbach-Hinterglemm.

A major event has its own rules! Ten euros for the phrase piggy bank. But Austria's home World Championships were the best proof of this. The fact alone that the Austrians, who were on the ropes before the World Championships, set off on their short journey home with seven medals (two of them gold) and their heads held high can be described as a surprise. The target set by Austria's Ski President Roswitha Stadlober (six to eight medals) seemed bold, but hit the bull's eye. The fact that New Zealand (Alice Robinson) and the Czech Republic (Ester Ledecka) are also represented in the medal table is a welcome splash of color for the ski circus.

On paper, the biggest sensation of the World Championships was Raphael Haaser's giant slalom gold - with bib number 22 and still without a World Cup win! And in Austria's "problem discipline" to boot.

Raphael Haaser celebrated two medals - dad Rene was visibly proud.(Bild: Christof Birbaumer)

Austria's second gold medal also came as something of a surprise: Stephanie Venier, the current number nine in the World Cup, took full advantage in the super-G.

Stephie Venier took gold and bronze and celebrated with boyfriend Christian Walder.(Bild: Christof Birbaumer)

Macuga on the road without a head sponsor
Franjo Von Allmen (one World Cup triumph to date) returns to his Swiss homeland as double world champion (downhill and team combined). US girl Breezy Johnson (also still without a World Cup success!) also won double gold: Victory in downhill and team combined. Her teammate Lauren Macuga even raced to super-G bronze without a head sponsor.

Double gold: Breezy Johnson (right) even outdid her teammate Mikaela Shiffrin.(Bild: Sepp Pail)

Saalbach was the stage for the new superstars.