Katharina Liensberger beamed at the finish like the oft-quoted honey cake horse. In the first World Cup slalom of the season on Saturday, the Austrian came in second behind ski queen Mikaela Shiffrin.
At the first race of the season in Sölden three weeks ago, the 27-year-old achieved a solid eighth place in the giant slalom. Liensberger reported back to the world elite right at the start of the season with good results. “It seems that the old virtues are coming back, that she can improve on day X,” said head coach Roland Assinger, praising the Austrian, who was going through a serious crisis.
Felix Neureuther also moved in Bavarian Radio the hat. “Welcome back to the absolute top of the world,” commented the former slalom ace.
She was double world champion in Cortina 2021, won slalom silver and team gold at the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2022. Liensberger was the shining face of Ski Austria, a star with major advertising campaigns. Then came the crash and a sporting crisis, despite the installation of iconic coach Livio Magoni, who was supposed to push them even further up the ranks.
After disappointing performances the winter before last – the Vorarlberg native only achieved three top ten places – Liensberger was even dropped from the national team. “What she went through, how she was dragged through the cocoa in Austria,” criticized commentator Tobias Barnerssoi BR how the troubled 27-year-old was dealt with at the time.
She became active herself. “Now it is important to take the right steps,” said Liensberger, putting pressure on the Austrian Ski Association during the crisis and pushing for Magoni’s replacement.
She herself had Delivery man described the difficult past: “There were these moments of frustration. Also moments of fear for the future. Anything else would be unbelievable given the facts that all insiders know.”
Only another upheaval in the coaching position brought about a turning point. Back at Assinger, the form curve was pointing upwards again. He explained the lever of success: “At Katharina Liensberger we work according to the motto: Less is more. Keep it simple.” Or, as he put it profanely: “The woman can ski.”
Liensberger also recognizes the path he has taken and sees progress: “The goal now is to build on it and keep going. It’s just really fun to ski at the moment, and that’s the most important thing,” she says happily. You could see that in Levi’s finish.
