Alpine Skiing
The lack of a certificate of full vaccination against the coronavirus means two Swiss speed experts have to race in Canada’s Lake Louise at the end of the month. Unvaccinated Urs Krienbühl and Ralph Weber will see the first alien race. Both, who survived a CoV illness, were dismayed not only by the Canadian authorities, but also by the World Ski Association.
At Lake Louise in the Canadian Rockies, the Speed season will begin from November 26 to November 28 with two descents and a Super-G. Both Kyenbühl, who fell severely on the first two downhill runs on Kitzbüheler Streif in January, and Weber will now start the season at Beaver Creek in early December.
Krienbuhl, 27, took to social media to say that he “couldn’t get anything out of the mandatory vaccinations for races in Canada”. The fact that the coronavirus infection, which he survived a few months ago, is not enough to enter Canada is “a hard blow and a stab at my racing driver’s heart,” said Krienbuhl, who last season Was with three podium places before his fall. Kitz was the shooting star in the speed scene.
Survived disease “better protection”
Krienbuhl’s teammate Weber has already been diagnosed with the coronavirus. He explained on his website that he went through symptoms of fever, fatigue and loss of smell and taste. As a result, they have “better protection according to my understanding of the human body” and despite the lack of coronavirus vaccination. My body got a chance to make antibodies on its own, fight off the virus, and then after a few days got rid of the disease”.
Weber and Krienbühl were “disappointed” by the World Federation (FIS) that they did not want to hold the planned race to Lake Louise at a different location due to what was seen as a “compulsory vaccination”. According to Weber, for unvaccinated athletes, this has high sporting and economic disadvantages. Like Krienbuhl, the 27-year-old former junior world champion hasn’t ruled out getting a vaccine at a later date – with a vaccine other than the one available at the moment.