Ski Cross Co-Payment

ÖSV Stars Pay 2,000 Euros Out of Pocket for Chile Trip

Due to a lack of snow on the glacier in Saas Fee, the ÖSV ski crossers are also traveling to Chile this year for snow training—and are paying for it out of their own pockets.(Bild: GEPA)

Due to a lack of snow on the glaciers, Austria’s ski crossers—like the alpine skiers—are traveling to Chile for training this year. However, the athletes on the ÖSV national team have to dig into their own pockets to pay for the flight, which costs 2,000 euros.

At their recent training camp on Lake Attersee, they were moving quickly underwater while diving. In their search for frozen water, the melting glaciers are now making life difficult for Austria’s skicrossers, just as they are for so many others!

At the training camp on Lake Attersee, Katrin Ofner (right) and her teammates recently tried their hand at introductory scuba diving.(Bild: Oliver Gaisbauer)

Glaciers in Saas Fee Still Closed
“We’re closed at least until September 15!” Markus Gutenbrunner, the Upper Austrian head coach, received this information via email from the Feegletscher. As a result, the ÖSV ski crossers decided that, like the alpine skiers, they would travel to Chile this year for snow training—but only the small national team group. “We have to train on snow by mid-September at the latest! We can’t stay here and risk not being able to train until October,” said the head coach from Liebenau.

Initial training will take place in Austria for Sonja Gigler and her teammates, but due to a lack of snow at the Feegletscher, they’ll be heading to Chile for snow training this year.(Bild: Gigler)

“If you don’t invest anything, you won’t get anything in return”
Unlike the stars of alpine skiing, the handful of cross-country skiers—who aren’t exactly rolling in money—have to pay for their own flight to South America on September 13—2,000 euros each! “The glacier in Saas Fee and the trip to Switzerland would be nice, but in competitive sports, things aren’t always nice. If you don’t invest, you won’t get anything out of it! We simply need the best possible training opportunities,” says Katrin Ofner from Styria. “The important thing is that we can train,” nods Sonja Gigler from Vorarlberg, adding with a smile, “I’ve already been saving up.”

Austria’s ski cross team is heading to Chile ahead of the World Championships season.(Bild: GEPA)

No complaints from the athletes 
Upper Austria’s star athlete Johnny Rohrweck, who can’t make the trip due to injury, says ahead of the World Cup—which kicks off the World Championships season in December: “If this is the only chance to train well for an extended period and it involves some effort, then so be it. It’s better to pay a little now so we’ll be well prepared. We’ll earn back the prize money this winter!”