Kick-off at the Ski World Championships in Meribel. The first decision falls in the combination of the ladies. After the Super-G, the Italian Federica Brignone leads. Mikaele Shiffrin is in 6th place, Emma Aicher is the only German who is knocked off. The combination in the live ticker.
Final standings at the finish: 1st Federica Brignone (ITA), 2nd Wendy Holdener (SUI), 3rd Ricarda Haaser (AUT), … 8th Emma Aicher (GER)
Ski racer Emma Aicher has made her way to the top of the world as an alpine all-rounder. As the only athlete in the German Ski Association, the 19-year-old has mastered the speed and technique disciplines. No wonder that the DSV relies on the teenager this Monday in the alpine combination – the competition of Super-G and slalom. “As it looks at the moment, she is Germany’s greatest hope for the future. She has huge potential,” Germany’s former world-class ski racer Maria Höfl-Riesch told the German Press Agency.
Aicher, who is cheered on by her Bavarian teammates with “Gemma Emma!”, collected World Cup points in slalom, super-G and downhill this winter. “The young woman has extraordinary talent,” praised Alpine Director Wolfgang Maier. The DSV has not yet communicated whether the teenager will also go through with this program at the World Cup.
Höfl-Riesch, who used to be active in all disciplines himself, knows the challenges that come with such a multi-talent. “It’s incredibly exhausting, both physically and mentally,” said the three-time Olympic champion. The prerequisite is physical fitness. “I then learned through the two cruciate ligament tears that I had to professionalize my attitude and improve my physical strength,” said the Upper Bavarian.
At 19, Aicher is the youngest top skier in the German Ski Association. “You have to be careful that you don’t end up paying an apprenticeship fee,” warned Höfl-Riesch. A lot has to be invested in strength and endurance. “The training and testing effort is also increasing. This is a constant tinkering with the material. The more disciplines, the more extensive and complicated it becomes,” explained Höfl-Riesch.
