This was Austria’s third time without a medal at a World Championships in team competition, for the second time in a row. The small final was won by time rule Canada, who secured their second medal in a team event after silver in 2015. In the end, the ÖSV team was 0.67 seconds short of precious metal, and in the end the ÖSV athletes were left with nothing but metal. “It was really tight and exciting until the end, but you never want metal at a World Cup. Austria already has enough of that, but it is what it is,” Gritsch said afterwards in an ORF TV interview. Austria finished fourth for the fifth time.
“It’s very bitter, we wanted to fight for a medal and unfortunately we’re just close,” said Raschner. Brennsteiner was also disappointed after missing the medal: “It hurts a bit, unfortunately it wasn’t enough from me. I actually got on well, but I always screwed up in the quarterfinals, semifinals and small finals. I always drove on blue, so it turned out that I was the last runner. I never wanted to know how it was upstairs so I could focus on myself. But unfortunately it didn’t work.”
Austria loses small final
The ÖSV team was narrowly beaten by Canada in the small final.
On the other hand, it worked for the USA. Paula Moltzan, Nina O’Brien, Tommy Ford and River Radamus gave the Americans their first ever team medal with gold. “It is great. We felt good and knew we had the staff to do it,” said Ford in an ORF interview. “It’s unbelievable, a gold medal is always very nice. The team competition is a great competition, also for the spectators. If you can set a fair course, it’s incredibly exciting and has to have a place in the World Cup programme. We work well together as a team, it’s fun for everyone,” said US boss Patrick Riml.
Sovereign start
The start was made to measure for Austria. The second-seeded ÖSV team easily beat outsiders Denmark 4-0 in the round of 16. In the quarter-finals, there was a duel with Germany, which had previously won 3-1 against Sweden, the 2021 runners-up world champion. It got tighter for the ÖSV runners in the quarter-finals, which the Olympic champion won 3-1 after an exciting duel against runner-up Germany.
Sovereign start
Austria started the team competition with a comfortable win against Denmark.
The surprising end in the quarterfinals, on the other hand, came for the Swiss. The number one seeded nation was narrowly beaten 2-2 by Canada due to their poorer time. In addition, USA celebrated an easy 3-1 victory against Italy, and defending champions Norway knocked out hosts France 3-1.
Austria fails because of the defending champion
In the semifinals, Austria’s dream of World Cup gold was shattered. The ÖSV aces had to admit defeat to defending champion Norway with a score of 1:3. Scheib was not able to build on her good performance from the quarter-finals and had to admit defeat to Thea Louise Stjernesund, Raschner narrowly lost his duel to Timon Haugan. After Maria Therese Tviberg fell in a duel with Gritsch, Austria reduced the lead to 1:2, but Stefan Brennsteiner ultimately had to admit defeat to Alexander Steen Olsen. In the first semi-final, the USA celebrated a comfortable 3-1 win against Canada in the North American duel.
Austria fails at Norway
In the semifinals, Norway was too strong for the ÖSV team.
The fight for bronze turned out to be exciting. Scheib clearly lost out to Valerie Grenier (+0.56). In the Raschner duel against Jeffrey Read, both made a mistake, but the Austrian made one mistake less. Gritsch gave Austria the lead against Britt Richardson, but Brennsteiner, who needed a win due to the previous times, had to admit defeat by 0.15 seconds after a narrow lead on the blue course, which was probably faster in the lower part of Erik Read. Canada celebrated after the 2:2, because in a tie the lower sum of the fastest women’s time and the fastest men’s time is decisive.
“Bronze would have been easy”
“Bronze would have been in easily. Three mistakes in one heat is too many. The ‘Brandy’ (Brennsteiner, note) slept it down in the last valley. The 15 hundredths would have been easy”, Alpine boss Herbert Mandl mourned the third place. While the Austrians were disappointed after the missed decision, the Canadian Grenier was very happy after the bronze medal: “It’s very special, we only decided at the last minute to compete in the team competition. It was very tight, but we gave it our all and it worked out.”
Team competition before the end
Austria did not win a medal in the tenth attempt in the team competition – the race in Val d’Isere did not take place in 2009 due to the weather. The medal record remains three times gold (2007, 2013, 2015) and two times silver (2005, 2019). As a fifth-placed nation, the biggest defeats came in 2017 and 2021 (loss to Sweden in the quarter-finals).
The tenth edition of the team competition may also have been the last. Because the world association (FIS) is planning for the title fights in Saalbach-Hinterglemm in 2025 instead of the controversial parallel competitions with a team combination. The competition, in which the best speed and technique drivers compete, was launched this year at the Junior World Championships in St. Anton.
Tight program
For the athletes, the qualification for the individual competition is already due today from 5.30 p.m. in Courchevel. Only the eight best on the red and blue course make it into the decision on Wednesday (12.00 p.m., live on ORF1, broadcast starts at 11.30 a.m.), which begins with round of 16 duels. ÖSV President Roswitha Stadlober criticized the tight schedule: “I didn’t believe yesterday that the individual qualification was scheduled for today.”
