Austrian alpine boss reflects on a dominating team effort

By Published On: February 28th, 2006Comments Off on Austrian alpine boss reflects on a dominating team effort

Austrian alpine boss reflects on a dominating team effort{mosimage}Austrian alpine team director Hans Pum spoke with Ski Racing’s Nathaniel Vinton after the men’s Olympic slalom. Pum had plenty to smile about that Saturday. His boys – Benni Raich, Reinfried Herbst and Rainer Schoenfelder – had just swept the podium, giving Austria an immense tally of 14 alpine medals, three more than the team’s previous best of 11, set at the Nagano Games.

Ski Racing: How does it feel right now?
Hans Pum: This is one of the greatest days in Austrian skiing history. Fourteen medals. You can only dream of 14 medals, but today it was more than a dream. I think it is the best answer for all the troubles we’ve had in the last weeks. Everybody can see we have fair and perfect athletes.

SR: What is the Austrian team’s secret?
HP: We have the best coaches, and the best athletes, and we’re all together. With the strong president of the federation, and with the coaches and the athletes, this is the result. We have a very good team. We work very well together. We have a team with a long time together; you know exactly what to do. We save a lot of money for the young kids, for the schools like Stams and Schladming. This is the most important thing.

SR: What is Benni Raich’s secret?
HP: He’s very strong. He was a good skier when he was young, and he and [Rainer] Schoenfelder came up together. When he was very young, they came up together. Always together. Benni is the perfect skier at this moment in the World Cup. It’s his time. Hermann [Maier] was before. Now Benni skis all four disciplines, slalom and giant slalom and super G and combined. He has a very good heart. He’s very fair, and has a good character.

SR: What do you think of the American team’s goal of eight medals?
HP:No, I don’t answer this. It’s not important for me. I look out for the Austrians, not the Americans or the other team. I know how it is. I’m a long time in this business, and I know what it means to have one medal. I know this.

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About the Author: Pete Rugh