What a week for Andrea Filser: In South Korea, she got one success after another. The trip was even on the brink.
Wildsteig - Many major sporting events in Asia have recently been canceled due to the corona virus. The Far East Cup, the Asian equivalent of the European Cup in alpine ski racing, continues to take place as normal. Game climber Andrea Filser had an excellent week at the series races in Korea. She was at the front in all six competitions. As a result, the 26-year-old climbed from 82nd to 22nd place in the slalom world rankings (has nothing to do with the World Cup ranking).
At the end of January, the planned trip to Korea was even on the brink for the German team. Filser was not put off: "Since I had to pay everything myself, I also booked myself and did not consider canceling because of the virus." Everything was normal on site. "Asians wear mouthguards more often, for various reasons." Although their cell phone beeped every day with an info SMS. "But I didn't understand them anyway," says the Wildsteiger with a smile. "And the locals thought there was nothing important in it."
Not the first time on the slopes in Asia
Filser had already traveled to Asia for the Far East Cup in 2018. At that time, she achieved acceptable results in Japan. She had a clear plan for Korea and was therefore well prepared for the trip. Before the first races on the 2018 Olympic route, she took a few days to get to know the snow, adjusted the set-up and trained with her Japanese ski colleague Sakurako Mukogawa. The two have known each other for years. "And it's just really nice when you have someone around you who knows a little bit," says the Wildsteiger. Mukogawa is currently leading the Far East Cup and is therefore also a great training partner in terms of sport.
Filser's goal for Korea was to get the best results possible, to improve in the FIS classification and to have better starting numbers in the following races. For this - it was clear to the 26-year-old - she had to win. "In addition, you need a very good line-up, and also the greatest possible advantage over the runner-up." The racing series started with a giant slalom, Filser's supposedly weaker discipline. "When I set the best time in the second run, the button was on," she reports. She ended up fourth, and confidence had grown significantly.
Filser has good memories of the Allgäu
The next day she won the slalom, as did the two slaloms after moving to Bears Town. There you also get a victory and a second place in the giant slalom. “It's kind of particularly cool, because I haven't even been allowed to start in the European Cup in the giant slalom,” says Filser, who feels that her work has been confirmed. In general, the time in Korea was a dream: "My plan worked, the food was good, and the time was casual."
Filser is hot for the next races. Two European Cup slaloms are coming up in Bad Wiessee this weekend and the World Cup races in Ofterschwang a week later. Filser has good memories of the Allgäu. There she got her first World Cup points in 2013 when she was almost 20 years old. "It was a long time ago, but I still like going there and with a good feeling," she says confidently. And you can clearly see how strong and relaxed she made her successful time in Korea.
by Kathrin Ebenhoch
The start of the season went very well for Filser.