Benjamin Raich achieves many dreams.

Wengen, Switzerland, Jan. 19th 2003. The first half of the World Cup season is over, but it’s neither USA’s Bode Miller, nor the defending champion Stephan Eberharter who leads the overall World Cup standings.
None of the pre-season favourites were able to totally realise their potential so far, allowing a young Austrian to achieve a superb yet unexpected comeback at the top. After so many ups and downs, it’s the surprisingly strong gate specialist Benjamin Raich, winner in Sunday’s slalom in Wengen, who tops the standings ahead of all the other big names of the game – Norway’s Lasse Kjus, Hermann Maier, Miller, Eberharter and the rest of the field. His success may be a sensation for all except for his head coach Toni Giger!

His first slalom victory in Schladming in January 1999 after starting the second run in 29th position made Raich a potential superstar in alpine ski racing. Yet the very popular racer from the Pitztal Valley, who turns 26 in five weeks, needed much more time than he thought to fulfil all the expectations of his family, the numerous members of his fan club and finally himself.

Despite an impressive series of five wins in 2001 – including some “Classics” as Wengen, Kitzbühel or Schladming – and a victory in the slalom World Cup title at the end of that season, Raich didn’t join that exclusive club of ski legends. After his latest win at Wengen, his 12th on the World Cup tour, many expect “Ben” to become the “lucky loser”?

The handsome Tyrolian nicknamed the “Blitz from Pitz” in reference to triple Olympic Champion Toni Sailer, called the “Blitz from Kitz” in his great years, has almost been known in his country for his failures. More than once he lost gold medals which seemed promised to him from 1999 to 2003 – including at the 2001 Worlds in St Anton where he was leading the slalom after the first run. But he was not able to successfully defend his position against his team-mate Mario Matt, who beat him by a few hundredths at the end of the second run.

The same misfortune also happened at the 2002 Olympics in Salt Lake City and the 2003 World Championships where he should have won the combined or the slalom. The very talented Raich, who progressively lost his leading position in the technical events, was more and more considered as a loser, a racer with great skills yet weak nerves in the crucial moments.

His situation worsened in recent years after victory eluded him. He was just another good racer among so many other top-athletes when Austria’s men’s head coach Toni Giger had a great idea last summer. This insightful coach who his also a wine-connoisseur recognized in Raich a potential to bloom into a great vintage. He put him into a new training group named WC4 reserved for a group of exclusive all-rounders like Hermann Maier or the reigning downhill World Champion Michael Walchhofer. He included Benjamin Raich in this special squad with the plan to nurture him to become the successor of Maier and Eberharter.

This decision boosted Raich’s momentum and ambitions – suddenly the fading star trained along established champions under the guidance of Maier’s personal coach, Andy Ever. That position also qualified him for the speed events. “It’s more than a dream which came through for me at that point, because my goal was always to become a complete racer able to compete in all specialties,” Raich explained after his recent win. “However, it was impossible before, because the team is so strong in the speed events and I had no chance even to take part in the qualification for the races,” he added.

“I only entered the combined downhills in the medal events where I proved that I can also ski fast when it’s necessary. Finally I received the chance to prove my potential and I did the best out of it”.

In fact, Raich finished an impressive 4th in the opening super-g race in Lake Louise, Canada, 13th in downhill and 2nd in the combined last week in Chamonix, France. Several other top results including his second win in Flachau, earlier this month, propelled him finally to the top of the overall standings in Wengen.

“It’s definitely a great moment for me,” he admitted after the slalom victory. “It means a lot to me to be leading the World Cup standings ahead of some of the finest champions in the history of the sport.”

“The overall World Cup title is the biggest achievement for me, it really shows who’s absolutely the best in a given season. You have to be so strong and so consistent to have a chance. I’m also very proud to have taken the lead after scoring so many points in the speed events.”

Being in the lead doesn’t affect Raich’s outlook for his future. He knows there is still a long way to the Finals in Sestriere, Italy in March.

“I will do my best to defend my position but I know it will be tough. A lot of downhills were cancelled recently and I may be way behind again after the coming speed races in Kitzbühel. Yet at least I am in the lead for the first time ever and I’m still young. I have a chance to win the title this year or in the coming ones. I don’t think too much about the big Crystal globe for the moment, I prefer to concentrate on my skiing. In today’s slalom, I proved that I can handle to pressure in big races. I disagree with those who pretend that I can’t master my nerves, I always try as hard as possible to win!”

Benjamin Raich is looking forward to another highlight in Kitzbühel where he will compete for the first time on the legendary Hahnenkamm downhill which counts for the second World Cup combined of the season.
“This is another dream which becomes reality next week when I’ll rush out of the start-house and jump over the treacherous Mausefalle drop-off,” he said.
“I remember watching Franz Klammer winning that event in 1984 on TV and I promised myself to race there too. Once, I slid it down with my slalom skis to have a look. I was impressed. With the downhill skis, it will be amazing! I don’t know how I will handle that slope and how I’ll feel at the start of the slalom, but it’s already a great achievement for me to train there as the leader of the World Cup. It will be huge.”

If he achieves his goal of excelling on the Hahnenkamm in front of thousands of screaming Austrian fans, this former “has been” may finally step out of the shadow of the dark horse and win the overall World Cup title!

Patrick Lang