Berni Schär knows skiing inside out. The long-standing sports editor talks to blue Sport about Marcel Hirscher's comeback, the controversial wild card and a Swiss who could come very close to Odermatt in terms of the overall World Cup.
No time? blue News summarizes for you
- Berni Schär has covered the Alpine Ski World Cup as a sports editor for years.
- Among other things, Schär experienced Marcel Hirscher up close during his prime time.
- As things stand, Schär does not believe that Hirscher could be a threat to Marco Odermatt. Meanwhile, he believes that another Swiss skier can pull off the big coup.
He has one of the most famous voices in Switzerland: Berni Schär. The Bernese was sports editor at SRF for over 30 years and reported on 15 Olympic Games, 16 World Ski Championships and 70 Grand Slam tennis tournaments, among others, before retiring in April 2021. Even as a pensioner, the 68-year-old travels a lot. He gives speeches, holds talks and hosts events of all kinds. Sport is still his great passion. A few weeks before the start of the new ski season, blue Sport spoke to Schär about Marcel Hirscher's comeback and more.
Berni Schär, Marcel Hirscher is returning to the Ski World Cup after five years. What do you think?
I respect this decision. As an eight-time overall World Cup winner, he is and remains an exceptional athlete and has my full respect. As a journalist, he was always communicative, focused, expressive and respectful towards me. I assume that he is looking for another challenge, but that he is also coming back to skiing out of joy and wants to feel the competition atmosphere again. His return will arouse great interest far beyond the world of skiing. That's a good thing. Alpine ski racing deserves a lot of attention.
Hirscher himself is well aware of this. Is his comeback a PR stunt or is he serious?
If Marcel Hirscher does indeed return to the slopes, I assume that he will do so in a purposeful and ambitious way. And there's no doubt that it's very much about promoting his ski brand. Completely clear and logical. He is now also a successful and clever businessman.
How successful will Hirscher be when he returns to the slopes?
When he was active, he was a brilliant technician, equipped with a fine feel for the terrain and a strong racing instinct. A focused type of competitor who was able to call on his performance at the decisive moment. He will not have completely lost these qualities. But we have to be aware that he is physically five years older. Is he fit enough for top results? Is the set-up of skis, bindings and boots already optimal? It's all about details and hundredths in the races. Of course, nothing is ever impossible. But I think it will be very, very, very difficult for Hirscher to finish on the podium again. If he does, then that would be really brilliant.
Can Hirscher become a serious competitor for Marco Odermatt?
I can't imagine that at the moment. Odermatt's skiing is too great. However, a comparison between Hirscher in his earlier years and Odermatt today would certainly have been a very interesting and exciting comparison.
If not Hirscher, who else could put a spoke in Odermatt's wheel when it comes to the overall World Cup?
One of Odermatt's rivals could be Loïc Meillard. He is technically an aesthete and strong in demanding passages with his fluid style. He is versatile, skis all disciplines and is a perfectionist who analyzes things thoroughly.
Back to Marcel Hirscher: He would benefit from the newly created wildcard due to his successes. What do you think?
An attractive innovation. The bar for the wild card is very high (overall World Cup win, discipline ranking, Olympic Games or World Championships, inactive for more than two years, ed.). That's a good thing. In tennis, for example, wildcards for former Grand Slam winners are commonplace. It shows recognition and gratitude for their achievements. A current example is Stan Wawrinka. Hirscher fulfills all the criteria for the wildcard award and should therefore be allowed to compete with the number 31.
How are you looking forward to the new season?
I'm looking forward to exciting, spectacular and emotional races. Alpine ski racing is one of the most attractive things winter sports can offer. The top is becoming ever broader, the competition tougher and the number of potential podium racers greater. That's great and valuable. The World Championships in Saalbach are also on the agenda in February.
