When words fail, photos help. So Wendy Holdener was content for a long time to share photos to publicly express her sadness after the death of her older brother Kevin, struck down in February at the age of 34 by pancreatic cancer against which he had been fighting for 14 years. Seven months have passed since this tragic event and the Schwyz resident has never before spoken to the media. She did so this Tuesday in Dübendorf, as part of a press conference eagerly awaited by journalists and feared by the main person concerned, despite being experienced in the exercise.
Witnesses on site did not fail to notice her nervousness, recognized by the double combined world champion – 2016 and 2018 – herself. So much so that the latter took care to rely on notes written in her phone. Still scarred by the family drama, she could not control her trembling voice and let a few tears escape. “I feel pretty good most of the time,” she said, according to reports. I am very happy with the way my family coped with this situation, the way we supported and helped each other. I think Kevin would be very proud of us.”
Wendy Holdener (31) not only lost her brother and confidant but also her manager. Fallen hope of Swiss skiing, the fault of his illness, Kevin Holdener had reconverted himself into career manager of his little sister. “There are times, even in training, when my thoughts take me back to him. There are days when I don’t cry. But I still miss him,” she confided.
As if this misfortune was not enough, the native of Unteriberg experienced it seriously injured, physically, suffering from a fracture of the left ankle which forced her to end her season in December. Despite this double blow, she says she did not think of rushing the end of her career. Because I miss skiing too much: “In the spring, I went heli-skiing in Revelstoke, in Canada. It was a trip Kevin dreamed of. That’s when I realized how much I liked skiing.”
A trip in the form of balm to the heart. Just like the making of a documentary dedicated to his brother. This one, produced by SRF, will be released at the end of October, she revealed, and promises a dive into the intimacy of Kevin Holdener. “We want to show his positive life. He wanted to help people affected by cancer, to give them motivation, he wanted his life to help others,” presents the Schwyz resident, who added that she wanted to “continue to live in such a way that he also benefits from it, where let it be.”
If she mainly spoke about her brother, Wendy Holdener also spoke about herself. His offseason was marked by a change in his coaching: after three years alongside the Norwegian Henrik Kristoffersen, the Valaisan Jörg Roten decided to take over: “He brings completely new approaches, which is very exciting. I feel very good physically and I’m looking forward to winter.
Less than a month before the start of the season, on October 26 in Sölden (Austria), the slalom runner refused to post numerical objectives but hopes to be able to once again fight for the first places in slalom. No longer appearing in the World Cup since the beginning of December, she has been chasing a victory since December 11, 2022.
