Skeletoni Baumgartner

Unsightly end to a strong debut season

Sarah Baumgartner can look back on a good first European Cup season.(Bild: KBSF)

Sarah Baumgartner has completed her first European Cup season. She celebrated a huge success with bronze at the Junior World Championships. However, unexplained knee problems are now causing the 17-year-old to tremble.

First season in "Formula 2" ticked off. That's how skeleton racer Sarah Baumgartner described the European Cup before the season. "I was nervous because it was the big ones," says the talented youngster looking back. Nevertheless, she summed it up very well: "You can only say positive things. Third place at the Junior World Championships(in St. Moritz) was the crowning glory." Nevertheless, the season ended bitterly. Due to knee problems, she had to skip the last planned stop in Lillehammer (Nor). "It's a bit of a shame that I've never been there all season," sighed the 17-year-old. And her knee continues to slow her down. No one has yet been able to tell her exactly what the injury is. So she has to wait and hope.

As soon as her knee injury has healed, the multi-talented athlete will start her recovery training - for skeleton and athletics. "I want to get faster, I need that for both sports anyway. I'll skip the indoor season and then I'll have to clarify with my coach how to continue," says the Michaelbeuer. She is also looking ahead to the upcoming skeleton season in the European Cup, where she has higher goals with more experience: "A win would be a bit high. But a top ten or top six would be cool."