Anna Veith to skip Soelden, return to competition unknown

Austrian ski star Anna Veith (née Fenninger) announced she will skip the first race of the 2016-17 World Cup season in Soelden, Austria. She originally planned to make the decision as to whether she would start much closer to the race date.

“Soelden is simply too early for me,” she stated.

The Austrian has been back on snow for several weeks now, getting up to speed after last year’s knee injury that ended the two-time overall World Cup champion’s 2015-16 season before it even started.

“I would have liked to be ready for Soelden – but it was a very ambitious goal from the start,” Veith continued. “I have, in terms of healing and rehabilitation, accomplished very much.”

The multi-event skier has found that in difficult conditions, particularly on icy and steep slopes, her surgically repaired knee is still causing her some trouble. Soelden as a venue has one of the steepest pitches on the World Cup circuit.

Veith has always said that her goal is to return to racing pain free and that she wants to be confident she can perform well before committing to the start gate. In the coming weeks, she will continue to work on her strength, coordination, and endurance and then return to on-snow training.

“My goal has not changed,” she shared. “I want a competitive return. But when exactly that will be, I cannot yet say.”

World Cup action kicks off for the season on Oct. 22 with the women’s giant slalom.