Double victory in the German Cup secures the ticket to Davos

Created: 12/16/2022, 5:00 p.m

By: Wolfgang Stauner

At the City World Cup in Dresden, Alexandra Danner from SC Lenggries has already taken part three times.

But now the former Junior World Champion is looking forward to two World Cup appearances in Davos.

Danner: "In the sprint, the top 30 is the big goal" © Sebastian Kahnert/dpa

Cross-country skier Alexandra Danner achieved two great first places at the German Cup in Zwiesel.

The reward: The 22-year-old Lenggrieserin is allowed to go to the World Cup in Davos with the DSV team.

Completely relieved and without professional commitments, Alexandra Danner from SC Lenggries can devote herself to her sports career this winter.

In mid-August, the 22-year-old Lenggrieserin completed her four-year training with the Federal Police in Bad Endorf.

“I did a very good final exam and can now fully concentrate on the sport.

That's cool," explains the new police officer. 

The liberation from the burden immediately bore fruit.

First at altitude training in Livigno, then at the Continental Cup – in a way the second international league under the World Cup – in Santa Caterina Valfurva, where Danner sprinted to places four (prologue) and eleventh (final);

She took 21st place over the ten kilometers classic.

Things went even better at the German Cup in the Zwieseler Hohenzollern Ski Stadium, where a classic prologue over many kilometers and an individual race over six kilometers were held in skating technique.

As an additional motivational boost, Frank Nitsch, trainer at the cross-country ski base in Ruhpolding, offered participation in the World Cup weekend in Davos.

"Because I won both competitions, I can now go out on the track twice in Davos," said the Lenggrieserin happily.

"It's my fourth competition weekend in a row and I'm in a good mood." The fact that there are two skating competitions suits Danner: "I like to run in both disciplines, but I tend to be a little stronger at skating and most of the competitions this winter were also in the skating technique.”

All in all, not everything went to the satisfaction of coach Nitsch in the German Cup.

But he was absolutely taken with Danner.

“Alexandra dominated both competitions.

She's in a good mood right now," praised Nitsch.

As a reward, Danner, who won the gold medal with the team at the 2018 Junior World Championships in Goms/Switzerland, is joining the World Cup team and is allowed to compete in Davos on Saturday in the sprint and on Sunday individually over 20 kilometers.

"She deserves it," says Nitsch, although it is difficult to estimate what is possible in the midst of the world elite.

"The goal would be to finish in the top 30 - but that would also be the best," says the coach, curbing overly euphoric expectations.

In the sprint, the top 30 is the big goal

Alexandra Danner

Alexandra Danner herself sees it similarly.

"The big goal in the sprint is the top 30 and thus participation in the final heats." The Isarwinkler is encouraged by the prologue results so far: "In Livigno and Santa Caterina I was the best German, so 30th place is not unrealistic .

But everything still has to fit.”

At the start of the City World Cup in Dresden three times

The DSV promoted athlete has already had the opportunity to get a taste of the World Cup circus three times.

In the past three winters she was on the cross-country ski trail at the City World Cup in Dresden.

In her first appearance, she was a handful of hundredths short of qualifying in the top 30 in the prologue.

In the two years that followed, it was easily enough for the final and places 17 and 27. “Dresden was great,” Danner looks back, “but a World Cup in Switzerland is something very special.

I'm looking forward to it."