FIS News
Meet the Legends: Pernilla Wiberg
14 May 2013 года
Meet the Legends: Pernilla Wiberg
In this week’s Newsflash edition, FIS will launch its interview series “Meet the Legends” which will feature retired athletes and their life after sport.

The first one to be interviewed is Sweden’s skiing legend Pernilla Wiberg who competed on the FIS Alpine Ski World Cup tour between 1990 and 2002 and was one of the most successful Alpine skiers of all times. In addition to claiming two Olympic gold medals, four World Championships and one World Cup overall title, she is one of the only six female champions who have won races in all five Alpine Skiing “events” during their career.

Although retired, you are still on-site at many World Cup events. What’s your role now?

It’s been 10 years since I stopped racing and I am pretty happy to be following the races from a different perspective now - in particular when I see the men and ladies skiing down these icy and steep slopes, such as during the World Championships in Schladming. Now I’m happy to be commentating for the Swedish TV, which I have been doing since I retired in 2002.

In addition to being a TV commentator, what does your life look like?

Ending a professional sports career is a big change in your life. After I quit, I wanted to have a family and do something else. We built a hotel in a small ski area in Idre Fjäll (SWE), which is very popular for families and has more than 9’000 beds. About five times a year, I am on-site and ski with my hotel guests. In addition, my two children keep me busy. :-)

How about your role within the sports movement?

After ending my sports career, I was part of the IOC Athletes Commission from 2002-2010. Since athletes are at the core of the sports, and should be involved in every aspect, it’s been great to see the increased athletes’ involvement within FIS in recent years.
Furthermore, I have been chairing the FIS Working Group for Alpine Technical Equipment since three years now. It’s a group consisting of experts both from competition and coaching, which focuses on the impact of equipment on Alpine ski racing. The group members are Kjetil Andre Aamodt (NOR), Marco Büchel (LIE), Karl Frehsner (SUI), Charly Weibel (GER), and Toni Giger (AUT). We meet four times a year and have very interesting discussions about general questions such as “What can be done to make the sport safer?” Our advice and new ideas are provided to the Alpine Executive Board.

Following the sport from different angles, what are your thoughts about the new goggle camera?

The new goggle camera is quite an evolution - it’s amazing. From the perspective of a TV commentator, the picture still needs to be adjusted and improved to provide better quality for the audience. For TV viewers, it is like in Formula One where you can follow the competition from a racer’s perspective.

Last but not least, who have been your favourite athletes on the 2012/13 World Cup tour?

Ted Ligety certainly became the king of the World Championships in Schladming. He was brilliant! Being a Scandinavian, I also like Aksel Lund Svindal. He is a great skier and deserved winning the two crystal globes this season. In addition, I am very fond of the ladies skiing on the World Cup tour. It was a pity about Lindsey Vonn crashing in Schladming. She and, in my opinion, Maria Höfl-Riesch are great representatives of the sport. They have taken ladies skiing to another level by promoting the sport in different ways, using different channels that are out there, such as social media.

Source: FIS


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