Ski star Marcel Hirscher: How he is planning his World Cup comeback

KURIER: You have founded two companies, you are a professional skier who wants to make a comeback, you are a father: How does this all work out?

Marcel Hirscher: It’s a challenge. We’ll see if it works out. Busy people know this: something is always a little neglected. At least that’s how it often feels.

You started your ski brand Van Deer-Red Bull Sports five years ago – how is the company doing today?

A childhood dream came true. Maybe it wasn’t particularly smart to go off on your own and say: I’m going to build skis now because I can do it better. Although I do think I can do better. It was a happy coincidence that this is now the case: I was able to get Dietrich Mateschitz on board with the project. He said: “Marcel, I always wanted a ski company – let’s create one together and change skiing.” This resulted in a joint venture that, as far as I know, is unique at Red Bull. I appreciate this enormously: the company is my childhood dream and life’s work.

They say: The most modern ski production in the world, with 100 employees. What makes the difference?

There has always been a racing privilege in the industry. When it comes to our skis, I didn’t want to differentiate between World Cup athletes and customers. We are not a ski company that also runs a racing team. We are a racing team that also makes skis for everyone. Same raw materials, same constructions, same edges – that makes the difference.

Does the world need new ski production?

No, don’t need it. A ski company is not critical infrastructure. Ours was born out of passion. It’s nice that they exist, especially in Austria, especially with the importance of skiing for tourism. It remains to be seen when we will be profitable with relatively small quantities and the manufacturing approach. It is definitely the goal.

If you look at all the facts, Austria is probably the wrong location.

Purely factually: absolutely. But: We never have expertise and know-how in Austria. The greatest concentration of experts when it comes to skiing. Of course we could produce cheaper and cheaper somewhere else. “Engineered in Austria” is a value that makes you proud.

What economic figures do you reveal? Production is expected to produce 30,000 pairs of skis.

Numbers are in the company register. We are developing better and faster than expected – in skis and boots.

How much digitalization and AI is in the company?

Probably still too little. We can do a lot of calculations, simulations, drawings, measurements, but at the end of the day it is the athletes who provide the feedback. Snow is a capricious material.

Skiing is relatively analogue?

Still. The AI ​​age is just beginning for us: preparation, planning, training management and course analysis. We work with telemetry and GPS – all models that help and sometimes confuse us. Skiing is currently still an analogue sport. In the end, the athlete decides which ski to use – with his feeling and the mix of information and intuition, but without AI.

Their comeback attempt did not succeed as planned. Have you underestimated development or aging?

I wouldn’t have seen it that way at all. I was happy with the third run in Sölden, but we struggled in the slalom. Then came the cruciate ligament tear. I would never have thought it possible that a passive structure could tear in my case and I was proven wrong. It’s a lot harder to get back than I thought. It’s a different story trying something again when you’ve been injured. The truth is: The “Wildcard” gift at that time overwhelmed us a bit. The plan was for me to do a World Cup race in the middle or end of the season. But then came this wild card. I wasn’t prepared enough.

At the end of your career you said that if you no longer want to train, you have to stop. What brought you back?

I tested skis and I was half a second behind. Then I could suddenly imagine it again: I had recovered and felt the fire again. I was 34 at the time, too young to do nothing.

The training has also probably developed further.

It’s a new world: sleep, nutrition, training, recovery are ongoing areas of research. We are also experimenting with sensors and telemetry data, but we are still at the beginning. Formula 1 is miles ahead – the goal is even more know-how transfer.

Are you always presumptuous when you train?

Not always. Bio-tracking is great, but also overwhelming. You have to classify this data correctly. During the season I’m in the red zone. Still, I have to race – the racing calendar doesn’t care about the stress level.

You don’t look like you haven’t trained. The wild card could come again. What is the plan for the upcoming ski season?

I want to be 100 percent fit. Back to where I was. But the comeback is not an end in itself, for me it is also about the ski company, our athletes and customers. I want to develop the sport further. Nevertheless, if I get a ticket, I would like to use it.

From the beginning? So starting in Sölden?

It would be nice, but in terms of time it’s very short. I’m still leaving it open. I won’t make the mistake of getting in too early again.

Both disciplines?

Sure: both! Slalom and giant slalom need each other. Also physiologically: Slalom skiing is a dream for the spine, it’s like relaxing. Giant slalom is pretty tiring on your back.

The World Cup scene goes overseas to train in the summer. You too?

We’ll decide soon whether my knee is fit again. In January, my injured leg was 60 percent weaker than the other one – we had to compensate for this imbalance.

When will we know whether there will be racing moments with Marcel Hirscher this year?

The decision of the International Ski Federation is now decisive. If I get a starting number, I’ll be there.