Beat Feuz: “I hope my daughters don’t become descenders”

Interview with Beat Feuz –

“I hope my daughters don’t become descenders”

The Swiss downhill legend talks about his times spent in Wengen and his new life, not far from skiing.

BotTalk

• Beat Feuz looks back on his successes in Wengen with nostalgia.
• It underlines the unique and friendly atmosphere of the Bernese resort.
• His first experience at the Lauberhorn was bad, so much so that he thought he would never shine there.
• He talks about his new life centered around his family.

Beat Feuz, is it fair to say that you are at home in Wengen?

I think we can say that. This is probably where I had the most success, or at least my biggest successes in the World Cup. For every Swiss, Wengen has something special. We are always happy to enjoy home races.

What is your best memory at Lauberhorn?

Definitely the victories. I would say that the one from 2012 has a particular flavor. Didier Cuche was the favorite, and I was a young skier who was able to win the race. It was a great moment.

Were you able to celebrate?

Yes, a little! Kitzbühel is the following week, so I didn’t get to party for long. Most of the time, I had a nice dinner with my partner. It was more fun than partying and going straight to Austria.

At this point you will find additional external content. If you accept that cookies are placed by external providers and that personal data is thus transmitted to them, you must allow all cookies and display external content directly.

Allow cookiesMore info

What was your first race in Wengen like?

I don’t remember the starting number, it was quite high. I think I finished among the last, I skied badly, nothing was going well, I was far from all the gates… it wasn’t a pretty sight.

What’s special about Wengen?

I would say everything is a little slower. Not at the racing level (he smiles)but in everyday life. There are no cars, everyone lives somewhere in the center and gets around on foot. In the morning, the athletes and chaperones board the train. We have the opportunity to talk to each other more than elsewhere. It’s something unique.

Your assessment here: one elimination for three victories and several podiums. The ratio is pretty good, right?

Exactly. Of course I was angry after my elimination (editor’s note: in 2011), but that’s part of the sport. Then I won the following year, and three times in total. I only have positive memories in Wengen, even when I returned from injury.

Tell us about this victory with bib No. 1 in 2018.

There was still the rule that allowed us to choose our number. I took number 1, and my biggest rival, Aksel Svindal, chose number 3. I knew at the finish that my race was good, but I had no idea what was coming next. I was able to enjoy the descent from the leader’s chair for two hours.

Why number 1?

In Wengen, skiers often have the best time to leave with the first numbers. If the temperature is high, as predicted on Saturday, the snow changes quickly. When you could choose your bib, I often opted for numbers 1, 3 and 5. And if I started in fifth, Svindal or Paris started first. We usually set off one after the other.

How can you be satisfied with podiums when you have already won?

It is certain that the victories are the most beautiful. When Vincent Kriechmayr won in 2019, it was because he simply skied better than me. I can only look at my race and try to improve.

At this point you will find additional external content. If you accept that cookies are placed by external providers and that personal data is thus transmitted to them, you must allow all cookies and display external content directly.

Allow cookiesMore info

Were there more difficult times?

The most complicated year was the first. I hadn’t skied well, I finished at 42^e place. I had already told myself that Wengen was going to be difficult for me. It’s long, there are a lot of flat portions with the exception of the Dog’s Head.

You even said in the interview that it wasn’t your favorite track, is that right?

It’s true. Because at first I really thought that the plot couldn’t work for me. Then I don’t know why, I won the downhill on my third attempt. From there, everything was better.

It’s beautiful to be able to change a feeling like this.

In Kitzbühel, it was the opposite. When I first skied there, I wasn’t good at it either. But upon arrival, I told myself that this would be my track one day. That I could be good at it. It took me more than 10 years to win on the Streif.

Why did you retire in Kitzbühel and not in Wengen?

With my family, we have always established that the classics are Wengen and Kitzbühel. When I knew I wanted to stop, I wanted to experience these classics to the fullest one last time. Because there had been the coronavirus in previous years, and spectators were limited. I wanted to relive these two races as an athlete one last time before calling it quits.

You mention your family. Does it change having children at home when you’re going downhill?

When you’re on the starting line and fighting for victory, you can’t think about that. For two minutes, you should only concentrate on the race. Which doesn’t stop us from thinking about family during other times.

What would you say if your daughters wanted to be downhillers like you?

(He hesitates). Fortunately, they are still a little young for that. I don’t hope they become downhill skiers. Whether they ski well, okay, no problem. But my wife and I would be happy if they practiced leisurely and not necessarily competitively.

At this point you will find additional external content. If you accept that cookies are placed by external providers and that personal data is thus transmitted to them, you must allow all cookies and display external content directly.

Allow cookiesMore info

How do you experience alpine skiing now?

We follow the races at home, and it’s just as exciting. We are happy to have more time with the children.

On the spectator side, we sometimes imagine athletes as hotheads. However, speed specialists often seem quite calm. Like you.

These are two distinct worlds: the everyday man and the one who competes for the two minutes of descent. Every person is different, and you have to know how to unplug your brain. It’s a separate discipline, and everyone approaches it in their own way.

What were you like at the start?

I arrived on the circuit daring to speak directly. It wasn’t always seen positively. Especially since in my time, Didier Cuche was the big man of the team. When a young person showed up like that, it wasn’t always joyful. There was one side: “Fire, what else does he want?” It was Didier Cuche, the chef. This is normal, and it was going very well. Then Justin Murisier or Marco Odermatt arrived. They didn’t just sit there and say nothing. It’s part of the game.

When you were in the Swiss team, how were you organized? With a staff around you?

No, since I was already living in Austria. In winter, I often gave up going to train in Valais or Graubünden for two days. I was going somewhere in Austria, or I was even going to participate in training with the Austrians. This has never been a problem.

Why Austria, exactly?

My girlfriend is from Tyrol, and we met young. When she retired from alpine skiing, she trained as a physiotherapist. It was an obvious choice for us to move to Austria, as she had to follow her training while I continued my career as a professional skier. This suited me well, as it is a well-focused location throughout the season. Gröden (editor’s note: Val Gardena)Garmisch, Wengen or Kitzbühel are within range. It was perfect, I felt good and the people behaved like those who live where I come from.

Now that you are retired, tell us frankly: what do you think of the nickname “Kugeblitz”?

It suited me well. Marc Gini (editor’s note: his teammate) had invented it when I was young, because I was always a bit “bouboule”, but also fast. It stuck, and I never had another nickname.