It has been almost exactly a year since Franziska Gritsch “separated” from the ÖSV.
Because of her love affair with the then group coach Florian Stengg, the Tyrolean has since been competing in the Ski World Cup with her small private team, consisting of Stengg as a coach and a service man.
“Basically, it was an exciting but very valuable year for me personally. I learned a lot and was able to develop really well,” Gritsch reflects.
Gritsch “100 percent convinced” by the private team
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While the 27-year-old regularly made it into the top 15 as a “lone fighter” last winter, things are not going as well as hoped in the World Cup winter. In six races so far she has made it into the top 30 three times, but has never been better than 25th. In the giant slalom at Semmering on Saturday, Gritsch was unable to use the good starting number one in the second round and ended up in 29th place. Race result >>>
“I clearly want more and expect more from myself,” says Gritsch. “What bothers me the most is that I can’t show what I’m capable of at the moment. That’s very frustrating for me.”
The Ötztal native still believes in her private team. “The project is certainly not the problem. I generally make fast turns in training. But the results don’t reflect our work at the moment. We work really well and professionally, given the resources we have. That’s still my opinion 100 percent convinced of it, otherwise I wouldn’t do it. The guys do an incredibly good job and support me wherever they can.”
Among other things, the trio manages the training and travel to the races themselves. This can sometimes be tedious, “but we decided to do it, it suits us.”
Being in a private team also has its advantages, explains Gritsch. “You can always train what you need. You can tailor your plan 100 percent to yourself, which you don’t always have in the team.”
“I sometimes make things more complicated than they really are”
The fact that her performance is currently unsatisfactory is definitely not due to those around her, but solely due to herself. The switch from Head to Blizzard is still a problem for her.
“There are very fast turns in slalom and giant slalom, it’s just a matter of consistency. I’m missing natural and free skiing at the moment. You can’t buy self-confidence. Sometimes I make things more complicated than they really are. I have to pull myself out of this step by step,” reflects Gritsch.
This will probably also be necessary in order to be recommended for further appearances in the World Cup and a place in Austria’s team for the home World Cup in Saalbach in February.
Leaderboard: The women with the most giant slalom victories
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