Young star keeps skis firmly on the piste
Swiss skiing hopes are resting on the shoulders of rising star, 17-year-old Lara Gut, who already has some success to boast of.
Gut, who comes from the Italian-speaking part of the country, tells swissinfo that despite the pressures of high level skiing, she is still greatly enjoying the sport.
She may have celebrated her birthday just a few weeks ago, but Gut shows a maturity and determination beyond her years.
swissinfo went to meet the skier, who shot to national prominence following her successes in the European Cup and her podium place in the World Cup, at the Gut family home in Ticino.
swissinfo: You come across as a sunny person who manages to enjoy herself and play down the importance of what is at stake. Is this a way of coping with the pressure?
Lara Gut: I think that it would be strange to have a different attitude, to be more uptight about things, at 17 years old. Skiing has been and always will be a game for me. As a consequence, it seems normal to me to laugh and make jokes while doing something that I love, even if this takes place in a professional context such as the World Cup. Of course if a race doesn’t go the right way even I get bitter about it.
My father has always taught me to be true to myself and this is what I am trying to do.
swissinfo: When skiing at a high level how is it possible to enjoy the descents without being obsessed by goals?
L.G.: I think not giving myself too many goals and not excessively planning the future are key for getting good results.
I managed to get a podium place at the World Cup competition by enjoying myself and keeping my feet on the ground. Complicating my life would be the best way not to get these satisfying results. I train very seriously, but I always keep calm: I’m young so if I don’t manage a goal there will be other times when I can try again.
swissinfo: Doing high level sport necessitates a healthy lifestyle and quite a few sacrifices. Does this make you different to your peers?
L.G.: I chose this lifestyle quite a while ago but I don’t get the feeling that I have missed out. When I speak to girls and boys of my age I realise that many are having a difficult time during adolescence. Luckily that’s not the case for me.
I have a great relationship with my parents and my brother. We talk a lot and I can confide in them. They also allow me my space. But this does not mean that I always get my own way.
swissinfo: You are constantly in contact with people older than you. Do you feel this age difference?
L.G.: To tell the truth, no. Perhaps I grew up quickly or perhaps they’re the ones who have stayed young (laughs). Having a common passion certainly helps, as does our lifestyle. By travelling a lot and getting to meet different people you become quite flexible.
swissinfo: What advantages does training with a small group of people bring?
L.G.: It’s very important to have one or two key figures whom you can trust completely. One of these is my father, who knows me very well and protects me when I need some quiet. However, it’s also a personal choice. I’ve always been used to training on my own whereas other athletes might to do this differently.
swissinfo: You have decided to compete in all the alpine skiing disciplines, do you have a particular preference?
L.G.: No, I like all of them. Even if this means that viewing figures fall temporarily if I have a difficult time in one of them. I want to always be on my very best form, which is why I work hard to attain the best level I can.
swissinfo: What do you do to relax away from the slopes?
L.G.: I read a lot and I keep in contact with my friends scattered around the world. But when I need to calm down I listen to music and go for walks on my own.
swissinfo: Are you managing to combine sport and your studies?
L.G.: Yes, thanks to the internet. I’m able to optimise my time by being able to work from home. You have to be strict with yourself and not put off schoolwork.
swissinfo: You have become famous in a short period of time. How has this affected your relations with others?
L.G.: A nice aspect is that, as in my home village, quite a few people have stopped me in the street and congratulated me and I have had a little chat with them.
There are also a few who, on the other hand, have shown that they don’t welcome my current situation, not so much because of my successes but because of the experiences I have been able to have. However, I’m not worried about it, because for every person like that there are another ten who are better disposed towards me.
swissinfo-interview: Andrea Clementi in Comano
Lara Gut was born on April 27, 1991 and started learning to ski in Airolo at the tender age of one and a half.
The young champion (160cm, 57 kg) lives in Comano near Lugano with her mother Gabriella – a sports teacher – and father Pauli, also a teacher. She also has a younger brother Ian. Gut goes to the Professional School for Elite Athletes at Tenero.
For the season 2008/09, Gut will train mostly with her father and Mauro Pini. During competitions, Gut’s staff work with the technicians in the Swiss women’s ski team.
During the 2006/07 season Gut gained first place in the Swiss championships for the Super G and silver in the Alpine World Junior Skiing Championships in the downhill – which she repeated in 2008.
The athlete competed in her first world cup race in 2007 and in February 2008 she gained third place in the free downhill at St Moritz. She also won the overall title in the 2008 European Cup, a feeder circuit for the World Cup.
Gut was awarded the “talent of the year” title by the Swiss Foundation for Sports Aid this year.
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