It wasn't enough to win a medal at the Junior World Championships in Bansko, but Nadine Kapfer drew a positive conclusion.
Peiting / Bansko
- Internet live stream, moderation in the finish area and video wall: The Junior World Championships in alpine skiing were really something special for Nadine Kapfer (SC Garmisch).
And although a mistake in the final part of the Super-G cost her a top five place or maybe even a medal, the Peitinger goes from Bansko (Bulgaria) to the European Cup final in Saalbach (15th to 18th) with a really good feeling. March).
Alpine skiing: Nadine Kapfer has been on the medal course for a long time in the Super-G
Until the last split time, Kapfer was fifth in the World Cup Super-G, the gap to the leader was 0.37 seconds.
This time lag would have been enough for the bronze medal at the finish.
And in front of her there was only the flatter final part, which actually suited the 21-year-old more than the demanding, steep part of the route that had already been covered so quickly.
“But then, unfortunately, I made a mistake and the time was gone,” says Kapfer angrily.
"And on such a short course (the winning time was 53 seconds, d. Ed.) You simply can't afford anything." In the end, it was enough for tenth place.
"A really very good result that gives hope for the future," says the sports director of the German Ski Association, Andreas Ertl.
Alpine skiing: Kapfer has changed its technique - this makes it more error-prone
With a bit of a gap, Kapfer is also very satisfied.
“Logically the mistake annoys me, but I can take away that I was really there until then.
And that although steep passages are not really my thing. ”The small mistakes haunt Kapfer a little this winter.
The woman from Peitinger attributes this to the fact that she changed her technology this year.
“That makes me even more prone to errors.” She used to drift into the turns, now she's trying to get on the train right from the start.
“So the pace is naturally higher in the swing, and I still have to learn to handle it safely,” the 21-year-old analyzes self-critically.
“But if it works, I'll be really fast.” The first 40 seconds in Bansko were impressive proof of that.
Alpine skiing: Kapfer in slalom with start number 47 in 17th place
Kapfer was also quick in the slalom.
In the end, there was “only” 17th place on the list of results.
“But for the fact that I never do slalom, that was really great.” Her target with start number 47 was actually only the top 30. She is all the more delighted that it made it into the top 20.
With that, the knockout in the first giant slalom round was forgotten again, in which the sports soldier could not cope at all.
“It was clearly too tight and too twisting for me.” Nobody blames her for that, after all, as a speed specialist, she was responsible for the Super-G - and she was convincing in that.
The good slalom is a great bonus.
In addition to the successful races - Kapfer's teammates also impressed with top ten places in their respective specialty disciplines - the trip to Bulgaria was also a great experience for the runners.
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On the course for medals for a long time: In the Super-G, Nadine Kapfer was only just behind the leader for a long time.
In the final part, however, she made a mistake, so that it was only enough for tenth place.
© Private
“The people on site, especially the helpers, were really happy that we were there,” says Kapfer.
All athletes were accommodated in a separate hotel and in the ski area they were also shielded from the rest of the population by means of closed pistes and lift lanes.
But you still noticed the joy and curious looks from the other skiers.
Life is currently normal in Bulgaria, cafes and lifts are open;
everyone is wearing masks.
"It's almost sad, but an open café was an unusual sight for us," said Kapfer.
Alpine skiing: Kapfer feels something like World Cup flair at competitions in Bansko
The great attention that the athletes received in the competition was also unusual.
There was a live stream on the FIS website.
"We knew that the family could watch us live." At the finish there was a commentator who shared the excitement with everyone and moderated: "That was really something different from the races of the past few weeks, which were so calm and inconspicuous." Despite a compact schedule - three days, three races - and a reduced number of competitions (no downhill, no combination, no team competition), Nadine Kapfer was able to enjoy real world championship flair in her first major championships.
An experience that she will not forget as soon as possible and that will give her a boost for the upcoming European Cup final in Downhill and Super-G in Saalbach.
And there it should finally work: “To get to the finish line without mistakes.”
KATHRIN EBENHOCH
