Austria's once-dominant men's skiing team is facing a prolonged crisis, particularly in downhill races, with no victories in three years. The nation has lagged behind rivals like Switzerland amid injuries and a lack of emerging talent. While some success persists in other disciplines, the downhill remains a sore point.
The Austrian Ski Federation (ÖSV) men's team has endured a winless streak of 23 downhill races, spanning three years, marking the longest dry spell in the nation's history. The last triumph came in March 2023, when Vincent Kriechmayr secured victory in Soldeu. This slump was highlighted in recent World Cup events, such as the downhill in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, where Kriechmayr finished fourth—the best result for Austria—while Daniel Hemetsberger placed 22nd. In contrast, Swiss skiers extended their podium streak to 21 consecutive races.
Kitzbühel's Hahnenkamm downhill exemplified the team's woes, with Kriechmayr's 13th place as the top Austrian performance, representing the worst showing in the event's history for the ÖSV. At 34, Kriechmayr, the 2021 double world champion and the sole Austrian with downhill podiums since late 2022, has hinted at retirement. ÖSV head coach Marko Pfeifer acknowledged his importance, stating to the Standard in January, "Of course Kriechmayr is our rock. But I'm confident that one or two others will be able to get into the front."
Injuries have compounded the challenges. Marco Schwarz tore his cruciate ligament in December 2023 in Bormio, disrupting his challenge against Marco Odermatt for the overall title. This season, prospects Stefan Eichberger and Felix Hacker suffered serious knee injuries in Val Gardena/Gröden. Pfeifer lamented, "It hurts extremely. Unfortunately, there are not many people of this caliber," comparing the 25-year-old Eichberger, who had top-10 finishes in Beaver Creek, to Franjo von Allmen. Pfeifer's contract ends this season amid uncertainty.
Bright spots exist elsewhere. In super-G, Austria claimed seven podiums across four skiers, including wins by Kriechmayr in Beaver Creek and Schwarz in Livigno, placing second to fourth in the discipline standings and leading the nations' ranking ahead of Switzerland. Giant slalom saw two victories and additional podiums from Stefan Brennsteiner and Schwarz. Slalom results were sparse, limited to Manuel Feller's win in Kitzbühel and Fabio Gstrein's silver. Upcoming races in Kranjska Gora offer little expectation of a shift in downhill fortunes.
Historically, Austria dominated the Nations' Cup from 1990 to 2019 with 30 straight wins, a record Switzerland trails far behind despite its current four-year streak pursuit.
