Swiss skier Gino Caviezel returned to World Cup competition after over a year sidelined by injury, finishing 42nd in the first run of the night giant slalom in Schladming. Despite the modest result, he expressed satisfaction at being back on the slopes. Caviezel opted not to pursue further races this season to preserve his injured status for next winter.
Gino Caviezel, the 33-year-old from Graubünden, marked his return to competitive skiing with a challenging performance in Schladming. After a severe fall in Bormio in December 2024 that damaged his right knee—requiring reconstruction of the posterior cruciate ligament, meniscus, and collateral ligament, along with attachment of three tendons—he endured a tough rehabilitation period.
"I'm definitely skiing much better than I showed today," Caviezel told SRF after clocking a time 4.68 seconds off the pace in the first run, where he outpaced only four other ranked competitors. He acknowledged the difficulty of the chosen event: "However, I certainly didn't choose the easiest race."
The comeback was emotionally charged. Caviezel described a year of daily hard work, hoping to race this winter. "And when we decided to give it a go here, I was close to tears once or twice," he said. Training had boosted his confidence for qualifying into the second run, but it ultimately fell short. Still, he found value in the experience: "It was good for the heart."
Schladming holds special memories for Caviezel, who three years ago secured second place there behind teammate Loïc Meillard—his career-best World Cup finish and the last of his three podiums.
Looking ahead, Caviezel plans no more races this season. As he explained to "Blick," competing further would forfeit his injured status, risking a poorer starting position next winter. He aims to return fully fit then.
