Does Austria have a new phenomenon? Discovering the world champion Magdalena Egger

Three times of gold at the last World Championships in Narvik, the 20-year-old from Vorarlberg tells her story. "I have to grow a lot, starting from the European Cup. Idols? Hirscher and Shiffrin ...".

Wednesday 24 June 2020 5 minutes reading time

On his first world championship date, he took home a historic hat-trick by conquering the junior world titles downhill, super-g and combined (always in front of compatriot Lisa Grill). The beauty is that Magdalena Egger is considered a slalomgigantista, albeit with wide margins in speed and a multipurpose potential still to be discovered, since we are talking about a 2001 class. A new phenomenon in Austria? We will find out over the next few years, but the trust that is around the Vorarlberg girl is enormous, especially after the Narvik exploits that not even her sports idols, Marcel Hirscher and Mikaela Shiffrin, had managed to fulfill in their experiences from junior. He has already made his debut in the World Cup in the slalom of Flachau and in the last of Kranjska Gora (without being able to qualify for the 2nd heat), but the 2020/21 season will be crucial above all for his growth in the European Cup, where so far got a 9th place (in the parallel of Kronplatz) as the best result. Yet, in Narvik she was one of the youngest in the race and surprised everyone: “I didn't expect it, also because I could still participate in age for two other editions of the junior World Championships - said Magdalena on the OESV website - After the first gold, the next morning I woke up looking if the medal was still there since I was surprised. It was all unexpected because the previous European Cup races had not gone well, I had no great goals and instead after the first title two more came. I am aware, however, that nothing changes in my path, the road is really long and I have to grow, starting right from the continental circuit ". Slalom in the first place (the Narvik world race was not held due to Covid-19 emergency), or will speed be a goal in the future? “I would like to focus on the technical disciplines because they represent the basis and will help me to do well then in speed, it was a bit the key also to the success in the junior World Championships. We also see it in the World Cup: many technical skiers are able to emerge downhill and super-g, so it is essential for me to approach the fast races calmly ". Plans and expectations for the 2020/21 season? “I have to improve from every point of view and in every race condition. I would like to establish myself in the European Cup and be able to take advantage of the opportunities in the World Cup to see what I can already do at that level. It is clear, the childhood dream has always been to become one of the best skiers in the world: a goal to be faced step by step, without stress. So far everything has worked out well, but I repeat that the road is very long. I am already certain, however, that after my competitive career, I would like to explain to young people the charm of this sport: it is not just red and blue doors, there is much more ”.

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