The Swiss slalom drivers want to play an important role during the Winter World Cup. Constant progress should now lead to the summit. The long-awaited first win also waits for Wendy Holdener.

Despite persistent optimism, the Swiss-Ski leaders are clear and in the limelight ahead of the slalom World Cup season, which begins this weekend in Levi, Finland. There is no reason for changes. The direction, which according to the women's team led by Wendy Holdener, also took the men's team, is correct. Slalom has become sociable in our country. The many years of development work are beginning to bear fruit.

The initial spark

The progressive approach of Swiss slalom runners up to the top can be documented with the help of the hit lists. The team had sent its first positive signals nearly five years ago. Luca Aerni and Daniel Yule confirmed in January 2014 with places 5 and 7 in Kitzbühel the progress of the old discipline of mourning.

Clbades in the top ten are no longer a rarity, but it will be necessary to wait until the last season to reach the podium. It finally arrived at Madonna di Campiglio. Aerni finished second and achieved the first Swiss podium for almost eight years. The performance of the Bernese seemed to be a first spark for his colleagues. Yule finished third at Kitzbühel and Schladming, as well as Ramon Zenhäusern, who finished first in a World Cup slalom ten days after winning the Olympic silver medal at Kranjska Gora.

The stony path

The stage in the top ten places on the podium was high, the way ahead is not less stony – only because of the last duo very powerful, Marcel Hirscher / Henrik Kristoffersen. If one of the Swiss-Ski riders wishes to replace Marc Gini as the last winner of the Swiss World Cup slalom, a further increase is needed. Graubünden won surprisingly eleven years ago on the Reiteralm, not far from Schladming, its only victory at the highest level.

The conditions for the required improvement must be given. The Swiss team has developed its own dynamic, which pushes each individual to achieve optimal performance. The competition is already taking place at the training. Comparative values ​​are enough thanks to pilots such as Zenhäusern, Yule, Aerni and Loïc Meillard. In addition, athletes such as Reto Schmidiger or Marc Rochat ensure an unprecedented scale in the slalom team.

At least the top four drivers are good for the best ratings, which minimizes the pressure on each of them. That he can take this liberated distance, it is in a risky discipline such as slalom an advantage not to be underestimated.

The expected victory

The women's slalom team is not as broadly supported. Wendy Holdener is the unrestricted leader, plus Mélanie Meillard will not compete in the upcoming race. Loïc Meillard's younger sister had to undergo another left knee surgery after tearing the cruciate ligament in her left knee while training on the Yongpyong Olympic track in February. In addition, Denise Feierabend, second best number 9 in Switzerland, ended her career in the World Cup. Olympic champion Michelle Gisin will have to deal with the constant change between slalom and speed disciplines.

Wendy Holdener's specification is unequivocal. The Schwyzerine finally wants to win its first World Cup slalom victory. For a driver who was already nine times second and eight times third and also second in the World Cup and Olympic slalom, the first place is long overdue.