Marco Kohler is facing his biggest challenge of the winter in Wengen. The 27-year-old speed specialist must put his unhappy past behind him on the Lauberhorn.
15.01.2025, 04:30
15.01.2025, 07:08
SDA
A few screams, then an almost eerie silence. There are moments when it literally leaves you speechless. This is particularly often the case in emotionally charged sport. The emotional scale ranges from indescribably beautiful to deeply sad. On January 11 last year, the ski fans in Wengen experienced both within a short space of time.
Marco Odermatt had just achieved his first downhill victory in the World Cup with a sensational run - on the Lauberhorn of all places. But just as the celebrations were about to begin in the finish area, the joy for him and the audience was severely dampened: Marco Kohler, Odermatt's good friend since childhood, crashed during his run and had to be flown to hospital by helicopter.
It is well known that falls and injuries in skiing cannot be completely avoided. But in Kohler's case, the accident has a particularly tragic note due to the previous history. The man from Meiringen, who has taken the Jungfrau region to his heart, had already had a serious fall here. So badly that it almost cost him his career.
Not giving up
It was in 2020 when Kohler crashed as the lead skier on the Lauberhorn and almost everything that could be broken in his left knee was broken. The cruciate ligament, patellar tendon and meniscus were torn, and the doctors told him at the time that it was unlikely that he would ever compete in professional races again.
After many setbacks in rehab, Kohler worked in his father's garage for a while before meeting athletics trainer Roland Fuchs. Kohler responded much better to his program and suddenly made great progress. Not only did he return to the slopes, but he even celebrated his World Cup debut in Kitzbühel in January 2023. And the very next season, he impressed with 8th place in Val Gardena/Gröden and 10th place in Bormio.
Kohler was on the verge of establishing himself among the best downhill skiers. And then came that day in Wengen, when he fell backwards on the jump into the Haneggschuss and crashed. "Not Marco again," said not only Kohler's friend Odermatt, but also many other athletes, coaches and support staff at the finish line.
Distinction as a necessity
It seemed as if history was repeating itself. But this time it ended more lightly, it was "only" a rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament. Just two weeks after the crash in Wengen, Kohler reported via online media conference and spoke of a good healing process and the hope of being able to compete in the next season.
Kohler not only returned, but also finished 15th in the first downhill in Beaver Creek. Shortly before the end of the year, he also put in a strong performance on the piste in Bormio, which is considered to be particularly difficult, finishing ninth in the middle of the leading group. Notabene just one day after Cyprien Sarrazin's devastating crash.
As sorry as he is for his fellow racers, as a racer you have to consistently distance yourself from such incidents, explained Kohler afterwards. Especially if you have a history like Kohler. "I didn't read any media and also told my teammates that I didn't want to know anything about it. I had to concentrate on myself alone."
Mental preparation
The biggest challenge for Kohler now lies in his return to Wengen. Here, too, he has to distance himself a little from his own story, having initially dealt intensively with the crash images and visited the accident site in the summer. But now it's all about looking ahead.
Mental training has helped him to do this, says Kohler. The fortnightly sessions with his trainer in Interlaken were a central part of his recovery program in the summer. Kohler has been doing this for several years, although he resisted it at the start of his career. "I thought: Nobody can tell me what to think," says Kohler looking back. It took a while for it to "click" with him and for him to open up. "Today, I'm extremely happy about the hours I invested in myself and my mental health," says Kohler. His successful comeback this winter was largely down to his head.
Of course, even the best mental training can't erase all memories. But it can help to put the past behind you. Kohler's conclusion after the first training session on Tuesday was: "The track was great, the skiing was great: it was a great day." A good start for the big goal of making peace with Wengen.
