Anja
Paerson feels confident.
It’s in Switzerland’s
Leukerbad, that Anja Paerson and the
Swedish Team celebrated New Year.
2004 could be a great year for the
22-year-old champion from Tärnaby
who aims to become the 3rd Swede to
clinch the overall title. She spoke
freely about her last successes!
How do you feel Anja?
A.P. “Fine, I was lucky in Lienz
because I was skiing really badly,
especially in the first slalom run.
I had to fight hard to catch up Nicole
Hosp who was so much ahead. It was
difficult; I didn’t feel so comfortable
after skiing out in GS. I came down
very strong at the end of that first
GS run and I could not make the turn
in time to get that gate. I don’t
know what happened really, I caught
some air and then it was too late”.
“I didn’t feel well in those
races, the snow was difficult and
I had a hard time to find my best
rhythm. That’s why we were all
surprised by my win in that slalom!
I was not relaxed and I didn’t
recognize myself when I watched the
videos afterwards. I pleased to have
won but not by my style!”
Tell us more about your rivalry
with Nicole Hosp – apparently
you talked to her before your second
slalom run?
A.P. “It’s great, we are
good friends, it’s fun, we can
laugh together. I really hope the
best for her; she’s doing the
same for me. We both enjoy this rivalry
a lot because it motivates us a lot.
We try very hard to approach our limits
and this makes it much more exciting!”
“She is so relaxed too –
sometimes I have the feeling that
she is older than me, she looks so
comfortable too”.
What was your reaction in the finish
area in St Moritz after your problem
in the downhill race?
A.P. “First of all I was happy
I didn’t crash in that turn,
but then I was mad at me that I didn’t
finish to get some points. I had mixed
emotions but I was not really afraid”.
Did you expect to be so strong
on this course – after all it
was your first World Cup downhill?
A.P. “Not at all. I was really
proud of myself and I had a great
time on that course until this problem.
It’s exciting when you feel so
relaxed and ready to attack the course
with great determination. I was not
hesitating, just going for it. I trained
a little bit more last summer but
I never felt so well on a downhill
course before. Something happened
when I first skied down this course
– suddenly everything seemed
so easy. I had no problem at all.
I was tired in Madonna di Campiglio
after the slalom races but there I
was full of energy and very confident
too”.
“I felt great in St Moritz as
soon as I put my downhill skis on.
In training I was confused with these
long skis, but there it was perfect
from the first turn. I was ready to
charge, mentally I felt strong! The
weather was nice too and I could easily
see all the difficulties of the run.
It’s a wonderful start in my
downhill career, something I can build
on!”
You looked ready to have a great
time on that demanding course?
A.P. “Yes, I felt very comfortable
from the first moment on the course,
I was not nervous even if it was my
first downhill. It’s the first
time ever I had this kind of feelings!
I immediately thought it’s going
to be fun to race here and this feeling
pushed me forward. I have been waiting
it for a long time! Last year I was
so frustrated that I could not be
so strong to make a test in the speed
events. I felt bad. But there I had
no problems!”
Now what are your plans in the
speed events?
A.P. “I will try to make the
remaining Super-G races starting with
Megêve and some downhills too
if I feel as relaxed and confident
as in St Moritz. I will not compete
if I don’t feel comfortable.
The plan is to check the courses during
the training runs and then decide
if it makes sense for me or not. I
want to move up step by step, on run
after the other”.
Many racers and trainers believe
it’s just a matter of time until
you also win a downhill – do
you share this opinion?
A.P. “Well, if I feel as comfortable
on one of the remaining downhill courses,
I have a good chance to win one with
some luck. In St Moritz I was really
fast. It’s really tough but it’s
possible!”
Would it be something special for
you to win a downhill?
A.P. “For sure because my goal
is to become an overall skier. I want
to be good in each specialty! When
my career is over, I would be really
proud to have won races in all disciplines”.
What about this dream you had when
you were younger about winning a gold
medal in downhill?
A.P. “Haha, yes maybe I can achieve
this dream! I know it’s really
difficult and there is so much hard
work behind such a success. I guess
it will take much time for me to excel
in downhill too because I started
later that the other skiers. We will
see if I’m ready or not in future!
For the moment I just concentrate
on this season and then we will see.”
But you are progressing faster
than you expected – you said
earlier this year that you don’t
expect to care about your downhill
skiing before the 2006 Olympics?
A.P. “Yes, the turning point
was quite fast. I didn’t think
I could feel so soon so comfortable
in downhill. I’m also surprised!
In fact it took me a minute in St
Moritz until I saw that I could also
ski fast in downhill. Everything changed
for me, I entered a new era –
wow, this is great! - I said to myself.
I want to race more downhill!”
How did the other skiers react after
you won this training run?
A.P. “They looked pretty shocked
at me! I would feel the same if Michaela
Dorfmeister would win a slalom! In
fact, everybody was laughing. I didn’t
take it too seriously because it was
only a training run. But the next
day it was crazy when I almost won
the race! I think a lot of people
were relieved that I didn’t win
at the end. In a way including myself,
because it would have been crazy for
me afterwards with the Swedish media.
Even my father didn’t understand
what was going on. The Canadian trainer
came to me to congratulate me and
to tell me that he never saw somebody
skiing like this in a downhill in
his past 30 years! It was unbelievable!”
Are you not afraid that your slalom
skiing could be affected by your plan
to race more downhill now?
A.P. “No, it’s the opposite.
It’s a great boost for my moral.
Sometimes, I feel tired to train and
race so much slalom. It’s a great
way to relax myself and change my
mind. I feel more positive –
as I told you, I enjoyed skiing at
home during the Christmas break after
St Moritz! But I felt quite tired
at Lienz!”
Now your attitude towards the overall
World Cup standings is also different
than a few months ago – do you
start to think more seriously about
it?
A.P. “For sure, I’m starting
to think about it, I can’t ignore
it now but I don’t want to focus
too much on it. My goal is still to
win races and not think about the
points. This would be too boring!
I ski better when I attack. Maybe
after Haus im Ennstal I can think
more precisely about it and change
my tactic”.
What’s the reaction in Sweden?
A.P. “The media is very excited
and many journalists will certainly
come to Veysonnaz to cover the races.
It seems that nothing else is happening
in Sweden so this is big news for
them. It’s tough because, what
ever I’m doing is important to
them. It’s quite hard for me!”
How did you spend Christmas?
A.P. “I was skiing al lot, but
I had a great Christmas Eve with my
family, and I had breakfast with my
grand’ mother, my cousins, the
entire group. I like this atmosphere
so much!”
Any special wish for yourself for
2004?
A.P. “Not really – I’m
so bad at this; I don’t have
special wishes beside being healthy
and happy!”
How is your father facing your
situation?
A.P. “I have never seen him as
nervous as he was in Lienz, and also
so happy in the finish area after
the slalom. I never saw him expressing
so much his feeling before! I guess
because it was his birthday that day!”
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