“I didn’t care about the surroundings” – Aicher impressed at the start of the World Cup

Emma Aicher first took a long sip from her water bottle in the press room. “I didn’t expect that at all,” said the German ski racer after her impressive third place at the start of the new alpine season. The 22-year-old immediately sent signals in Sölden. Look: I can do giant slalom too. I can even be faster than top star Mikaela Shiffrin. And yes: I am a serious candidate to win the overall World Cup.

She would never formulate such ambitious goals publicly. In the association they are also trying to dampen the high expectations of the all-rounder. The bosses around sports director Wolfgang Maier think that the carefree Aicher shouldn't lose her lightness. But you also know: the native Swede has the potential for a really great career. And what it takes to possibly secure the big crystal ball for the best female ski racer in the World Cup this winter.

The season also started for the German men on Sunday with a top ten place. Fabian Gratz celebrated the second-best result of his career in sixth place when Brazilian Lucas Pinheiro Braathen won. A few years ago, the German giant slalom team was completely away from the world's best, but now it is gradually getting closer again.

Aicher – and this was already clear before her race to catch up in Sölden – is the outshining figure in the German ski team. It was “cool to drive,” she said after the second round, in which she fought her way from ninth place to her first giant slalom podium of her career on Saturday – also helped by a small change in the weather.

After crossing the finish line, the daughter of a German and a Swedish woman cheered wildly. Because her time turned green and she knew that at least she wouldn't fall behind, she explained afterwards. She didn't believe that it could still be enough for the podium.

But it was enough - also because Shiffrin, who was leading at half time, ultimately had to settle for seventh place in increasingly difficult conditions. The exceptional American athlete missed her 111th World Cup victory; instead, teammate Paula Moltzan celebrated her debut success.

Before this winter, Shiffrin announced that she would do fewer races in her flagship discipline, slalom, and would focus on giant slalom and super-G. She called it a “season of exploration.” It started with a bit of a setback for the six-time overall World Cup winner.

Aicher, however, did not allow herself to be disturbed by all the fuss surrounding her. After her outstanding preseason, in which she won, among other things, two Olympic silver medals and three World Cup successes, she was repeatedly confronted with questions about her chances in the ball fight in the days before the Sölden race. The pressure on them is palpable.

But Aicher stayed cool. “I didn’t care about the surroundings,” she said. She has now made it to the podium in all four disciplines in the World Cup. In the giant slalom, her best career result so far was fourth place in Are, Sweden, last March, and she came 28th in Sölden last year. Aicher seems unstoppable in her development. And this season – with the World Cup in Crans-Montana, Switzerland as the highlight in February – a lot seems possible. She was a “cool sock,” Austria’s giant slalom ace Julia Scheib said about the German before the race. And was confirmed.