Valentin Crettaz was not able to answer us immediately, Thursday afternoon in Wengen. One of the coaches of the Swiss speed team had a very good excuse: he was on the ice for an internal curling tournament with members of the staff and Swiss athletes.
“We took advantage of the free afternoon to discover this sport with everyone,” he summarized, after two days of downhill training. The tension rose a few hours before the races, there were more and more journalists, and it was important to do an activity together.”
For a little over two hours, at the indoor ice rink in the middle of the village, coaches and skiers competed in a good-natured atmosphere. So, verdict? “The coaches won but it was very tense until the end,” laughs the man who laid the decisive stone.
To hear him say, Marco Odermatt is not the strongest, like on the slopes. “Marco Kohler made a strong impression,” continues Valentin Crettaz. But Loïc (Meillard) pointed it out to me: it’s crazy to see how competitive they can be, even for a simple game.”
In the past, the Swiss speed team has sometimes indulged in the joys of beach volleyball and foot tennis to occupy their minds before the competition. She will be back on skis on Friday, from 12:30 p.m., to kick off the weekend with a super-G.