Gerhard Urain, Nordic Racing Director at Fischer, first looked back at the past season as the most successful ski, boot and binding brand in the World Cup, as well as at the Olympics, in front of almost a hundred journalists and representatives of the FIS and the OC of the World Championships in Seefeld. Thomas Drindl, Division Manager Nordic at Fischer, drew the extremely positive conclusion of the introduction of SKILETICS®, the fitness program on skis, and of TURNAMIC®, the new binding set-up from Fischer. The representatives of the sister company Löffler, CEO Otto Leodolter and Head of Marketing Reinhard Hetzeneder, also explained the importance of the use in top-class sport for the collection development. They are all looking forward to the World Championships being held in their own country.
Marit Björgen, the most successful Winter Olympian of all time, spoke in a relaxed atmosphere about her plans for the future and her experience in ski construction. She was the first sportswoman ever to be allowed to design her own (touring) ski in the spring at the company headquarters in Ried (AUT), which was presented to her this evening as a ceremonial farewell to thank her for her many successes and excellent cooperation. "After 20 years I finally managed to see the production of cross-country skis - I was really impressed how much manual work, despite the many technologies, there is in every single ski," said the cross-country queen of the past decades.
Darya Domracheva, the four-time Olympic champion, also looked back on an enormously successful career and announced that she will compete once again at the "Biathlon on Schalke". The official farewell will then take place at the European Championships in Minsk (BLR) and she will "gladly pass on the experience to young athletes in some form in the future". Teresa Stadlober spoke one last time about her mishap at the Olympic Games in PyeongChang (KOR) and is looking forward to the World Championships at home with a clear prickle in her stomach: "This will certainly create a very special atmosphere in Seefeld - I take that as a clear incentive to run in front of a home crowd.”
Kamil Stoch, triple Olympic champion and double overall World Cup winner from Poland, reported among other things on his training jumps at the World Championships hill in Innsbruck this summer, while Eric Frenzel also revealed his fresh impressions from the training camp in Garmisch-Partenkirchen (GER) and is already looking forward to the World Championships as series winner from Seefeld. Dario Cologna (SUI) won the 15 km test race last year and also looks forward to the World Championship with a good feeling, even if he had to change his plans at short notice and instead of travelling on to Val Senales (ITA), he stops again at home: "I wasn't so fit in the past few days and since the cross-country ski tracks in Davos will open right in front of my front door in the next few days, I prefer to spend a few more training days at home".
Finally, the Forum Nordicum held this year's award ceremonies and presented the trophies for the Ski King of the Year to Dario Cologna and Kamil Stoch. Teresa Stadlober was named Rookie of the Year, while the two exceptional athletes Marit Björgen and Ole Einar Björndalen were awarded for their life's work.
