Skiing: Riegler, refreshed and fast

By HELEN TUNNAH

Every now and then, Claudia Riegler takes time to remind herself why she has stayed on the world circuit.

"Not a lot of people can do what I can do, and sometimes you forget about that.

"I guess I love skiing, and I have the ability to be really fast and top of the world. It's just that feeling."

Riegler, 26, returns to the World Cup circuit for the ninth time this weekend, having seen her fortunes slide last season, only to have an inspiring winter Olympics campaign reignite her career.

She admits that before February's Olympics in Salt Lake City she came close to quitting the sport, frustrated at being unable to perfect a new technique and with her world ranking at 38, her worst result in eight years.

But when the former world No 2 skied to 11th at the Olympics, and beat the formidable Austrian team to take out their national championships a few weeks later, she decided to give the international circuit one more shot.

"I was about to give up skiing, but the Olympics were a turning point for me.

"I had worked so hard the whole season and I didn't get any return and I got so fed up with fighting back all the time.

"Then after the Olympics, I thought maybe I should do another year and see if I can achieve my goals. I want to establish myself in the top 10, the top five of the world again."

When Riegler first skied on the World Cup circuit in 1995, high hopes were held for the then teenage Austrian-New Zealander who had chosen to ski for the country of her mother.

She won her first World Cup race in just her second season, and won three more before her form began to slip.

Her last podium finish was in 1998.

Last year she switched to a new coach, Austrian Thomas Schaedle.

For a time, things seemed worse. He wanted to alter her skiing style from a direct, straight route through the slalom gates, to a softer approach and a rounder attack.

The change saw Riegler crash more often than finish and, after another failure just weeks before the Olympics, she was left sobbing, and vowing to give the sport away.

She didn't, and at Salt Lake City she overcame atrocious conditions to post her first finish in three Winter Olympics, and New Zealand's best skiing result after Annelise Coberger's 1992 slalom silver medal.

Just weeks later she beat a full international lineup to take out her first Austrian national championships, where her return to form was welcomed by her rivals.

"I gave them quite a hiding.

"I had a really good first run. I totally nailed it - and then I had a good second run too.

"The Austrian girls, they just said 'well, you're back, it's great to see you skiing well again'."

Riegler says she has never been tempted to switch her allegiance to Austria, even though she would be better off financially.

As a one-woman team, the costs of the international circuit are massive and her drop in status last season proved expensive.

She has lost some sponsorship contracts, and one overseas-based New Zealand businessman who backs her - and New Zealand cricket - has reduced his support.

However, her good Olympics result have secured her some Sports Foundation and Ski Association funding.

Today she will begin her ninth World Cup season skiing the slalom at Park City, Utah, where she won in 1997.

Riegler knows a top three result is unlikely this time: she will have a starting number of about 30, and the lower-ranked skiers get the worst of the conditions on the course.

Her goal for the early season races is post some solid finishes to enable her to climb higher up the starting order.