The 2023/2024 World Cup winter is approaching

Interview with Ramon Zenhäusern
For ski racer Ramon Zenhäusern of the Brandegg-Bürchen Ski Club, November 18, 2023 marks the start of already his 12th season at World Cup level. Last winter was an extremely successful one for the 31-year-old Swissski athlete from the Moosal region. By winning the races in Chamonix and Soldeu, Ramon was able to claim two World Cup victories. With his third place in the overall ranking of the slalom discipline, Ramon definitely belongs to the absolute top of the world. We congratulate him! During his preparations for the new season, we were able to have a short conversation with Ramon. Read more in the following interview.

Ramon, how did you prepare for the upcoming season during the summer months? Are there certain training and preparation routines that you find particularly important to prepare for the races in the winter?

I didn't prepare for the new season any differently than I have in recent years. In the summer, I usually work on a mix of strength, endurance and balance training. This allows me to diversify my training a lot. I enjoy being out on the water and spend a lot of time windsurfing and kitesurfing. Water sports are a lot of fun and help me develop my coordination, which I can also benefit from later when skiing.

As usual, the snow training started at the end of July/beginning of August. Since the conditions on the Swiss glaciers are not always ideal due to the summer heat, I traveled with the Swiss team to Argentina again this year, where we were able to train together for three weeks.

Compared to previous years, you have decided to train without timing during the pre-season. What prompted you to make this decision and how does this approach influence your feeling on the slopes?

I have been following this approach since last year. After the mixed season 21/22, I rethought my training methods and came to the conclusion that I want to focus more intensively on my feeling and technique in training. The constant timing can be an irritating factor and I don't want to let it influence my feeling too much. Thanks to my experience, I can now feel for myself what is fast and what is not. This method helped me to succeed last season and I would like to keep it up.

There are no major events such as the World Championships or the Olympics on the schedule this season. To what extent does this influence the course of your season and which races are you particularly looking forward to?

The fact that there are no major events does not affect my season at all. We have the privilege of practicing a sport in which even ordinary individual races already enjoy a great deal of prestige. So every World Cup race is a highlight in itself. I am just as happy about a victory in the World Cup as I am about a good result in a major event. There are a total of 13 slaloms to be completed in the World Cup this winter, more than ever before. For us slalom racers, that's a great thing and the anticipation is great.

I look forward most to the Swiss classics in Adelboden and Wengen. The mountain scenery is unique and the atmosphere in the finish area is always like a witch's cauldron. The races in Schladming and Kitzbühel, with up to 50,000 spectators, are also a special experience every time.

The first slalom of the new season is just around the corner. What are your expectations and goals for the first competition in Gurgl, Austria?

I have no special expectations for the first race. As on any other race day, the calculation may or may not work out. It's also possible that something will go wrong. Nevertheless, you look ahead again afterwards. My main goal is to use my potential and ski as well as possible. Sooner or later I will certainly achieve the desired results. Of course, it would be even better if I could do it in the first race. Otherwise, you continue to work every day to get even better.

Thank you Ramon for taking the time to share some insights of your season preparation with us. We are eagerly following your competitions and wish you all the best and much success in the new season!