Trondheim-Para premiere with problems with the Nordic Ski World Cup

Anja Wicker was permanently goose in her slide. “When I started, the tubes started. And then the mood was like in the football stadium all the time, «said the paraplegic bronze winner, described her impressions of the premiere of the para-skiing run at the Nordic World Ski Championships. Thousands of fans – including Norway King Harald V., Queen Sonja and Crown Prince Haakon – cheered on Wednesday in Trondheim in the pouring rain the impressive performance of the athletes with disabilities.

“These were more spectators a thousand times than usual. We have never had such a big stage, ”the visual impaired Linn Kazmaier also enthused after her fourth place behind the second German bronze winner Leonie Walter. The jubilee explosion after the photo finish triumph of the Norwegian Vilde Nilsen, which is a real star in her homeland, was emotional highlight.

Even if the rainy weather “broke a lot” according to the 33-year-old Wicker, the para event on a crowded World Cup day with the cross-country skiing team sprints and the ski jumping mixed competition was a great success for inclusion in sports. “The Norwegians really wanted us. They are already many steps further than other organizers, «praised the paraplegic long runner.

However, there were also a few problems for the athletes with disabilities at the big event. So after a race with her wheelchair, medalist Wicker did not make it into the mixed zone to the press representatives because there was an insurmountable staircase in the way. At the award ceremony, she got stuck in the snow before help came. There were also problems with the shuttle service from the Hotel zum Ski-Arena. “The roller shuttle felt just twice a day, and the entry was also complicated,” criticized Wicker. “You can accept that for the first time, but if it should have a future, you should learn from it.”

It is unclear whether the para-skiing run will also be part of the next Nordic Ski World Cup in Falun. So far, the International Ski Association (FIS) has no fixed plan, as should continue with the inclusion at the World Cup in Sweden in two years. In addition to a similar solution to Trondheim, other concepts are also to be discussed with the organization committee Falun, Sandra Spitz announced, who is responsible for sports and events.

One wants to advance inclusion at World Championships, but there must be stable conditions for the athletes with and without disabilities. Organizing good and fair competitions is still the most important thing for the FIS, explained Spitz. Nevertheless, the German official in Trondheim announced: “We want to bring the para-skiing run to another level.”

On this first World Cup attempt there were one or the other complaint from both sides. Linn Kazmaier criticized the “many regulations” that the smaller para events did not exist. The non -disabled people complained about the restrictions during training times and the partly battered routes. Overall, however, the FIS will also have seen the great potential for TV and spectators the para events.

The Japanese silver winner Taiki KaWayoke was celebrated frenetically when he fought in the standing class without ski rocks for gold against his French competitor Karl Tabouret, which was equipped with two ski skis. In the seated class, Brazilian Cristian Westemaier Ribera triumphed – the greatest success of a South American in the cross -country skiing run.

It could be a solution that the World Championships of ski athletes without and with disabilities will take place one after the other in the future. “It is the same with the Olympics and the Paralympics,” said Wicker. In their opinion, the large stage for the para-skiing run must be preserved. In addition to an audience with the Norwegian king, there were also around 2,000 euros in prize money for the two German bronze medalists Anja Wicker and Leonie Walter. “A great appreciation,” says Wicker. “You can invest the money in preparation for the Paralympics.”