In the giant slalom his trust grows, as does his desire for the Super G. The Carinthian sees several contenders for the World Cup.
After his most successful season so far, things should go a little better for Marco Schwarz in the Olympic winter. At least that is the Carinthian plan, at the Alpine Ski World Championships in Cortina d'Ampezzo with gold in the combination and bronze in the giant slalom. In addition, there was the win of two races and the special classification in the slalom. The goal run remains the showpiece in Schwarz's repertoire, but the giant slalom and Super-G should also go a little further.
Even Black himself was surprised by third place in the world championship in the giant slalom. But it also showed him what is possible. “The next step is planned,” said the 26-year-old on Friday at a press conference in Vienna at the location of his sponsor UNIQA. The cooperation with the company was extended until 2023. A lot has been invested in this discipline on 20 days of snow so far, including in Saas-Fee at the end of August. We are currently training on local glaciers.
And last week in Sölden there was a bit of a competitive feeling. “We had the chance to practice races, that was very cool,” said Schwarz. “Every day brings you further there. It's a very special slope, a very long steep slope.” This doesn't happen that often in normal everyday training. The trust in the giant slalom would now come more and more every day: “I don't have to think about it that long, it grinds in better.”
The motto is to attack in the first run, which is the basic condition for success in the Super-G, which consists of just one heat. In this discipline, Schwarz got a taste for it with his strong World Cup performance on the way to the combined title. “I would like to take one or two Super-Gs with me this season,” said the runner-up in the 2018 Olympic team competition, already with certain races in focus. “I think that a little something is possible.”
The hunted in slalom
In slalom, the only goal in the World Cup can be to defend the ball as the main goal. The two-time title holder of the 2012 Youth Olympic Games is aware that he is now the hunted. The basically calm Black doesn't let his new position in the goal run world make him nervous. “I'll put that aside. It'll all start again from scratch.” He wants to keep his level between the tightly placed bars or, ideally, take a step forward.
The combination will not exist in the coming World Cup season either, but for Schwarz it is now the personal combination of his slalom, giant slalom and super-G ambitions to combine into a successful whole. The non-plus-ultra in this direction is the overall World Cup. “With equal opportunities with the same number of speed and technical races, it will be even more interesting,” Schwarz is convinced. Several names are to be expected in this area.
Olympia a long way off
“For the overall World Cup, a lot has to fit together. You have to have one or two disciplines in which you constantly drive (into the top, note) and possibly a third. The circle has certainly grown bigger, it will be an exciting season.” Which has its climax with the games in China, but the tracks are the big unknown. Schwarz does not allow himself to be irritated by this either: “It is new territory for everyone. I let myself be surprised and then I will adjust to it well.”
Basically, the Olympic Games that start on February 4th are still a long way off for him, the World Cup opener in Sölden is much more present. This begins in four weeks with the tried and tested giant slalom doubles. On October 23 it is the turn of the women, the next day the men. After the preseason, which was largely without fans, Schwarz will be able to show what is possible on his second mainstay in front of spectators who are then re-admitted at home.
