Home game for Victoria Carl: After ten years, the cross-country skiing World Cup returns to Oberhof, the goal is a podium.
A cup of tea on the couch, a walk with the dog: Victoria Carl has recently been pushing a calm ball after the exertions of the Tour de Ski.
“I was with my parents. That’s where I draw my strength from,” says the cross-country Olympic champion. From Friday, however, it’s full throttle again: after ten years, the World Cup returns to Oberhof, and for Carl the three competitions will be a real home game.
“I live in Zella-Mehlis, it’s really not far from there,” said Carl in the “Ski happens” podcast. Ten kilometers to be exact. Carl is one of the few in the field who has already experienced a World Cup at Grenzadler. She made her debut there in December 2012 at the age of 17, and a year later she took part in her last guest appearance in the biathlon stronghold.
For the teenager Carl, 45th place was the best result at the time, but now, as a seasoned athlete, she wants much more.
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“The anticipation is great. We are especially looking forward to the relay, it will be a highlight,” says the 28-year-old. In the only winter relay so far, Carl led the German quartet to second place as the final runner. She has also been on the podium three times in individual races this winter and celebrated her first World Cup victory in Trondheim.
Carl had recently been on course for a podium finish in the overall ranking of the Tour de Ski before his dreams were dashed in the fresh snow in Davos. “It was like ice skating,” says Carl, looking back. After the heavy snowfall of the last few days, significantly better weather is forecast for Oberhof.
National coach Peter Schlickenrieder has nominated a mammoth squad of 21 athletes for the home game, including a real Oberhofer in former U23 world champion Lisa Lohmann.
“I’ve always wanted to be able to run an international race here. Now my childhood dream is finally coming true,” says the 23-year-old.
Katharina Hennig is also not far away. “I’m really looking forward to Oberhof because it’s relatively close to my home in the Ore Mountains. A lot of people from my house will be coming,” says the Olympic champion, who, unlike Carl, has never run a World Cup at Grenzadler.
Their goal is the same: “Of course the focus is on the relay on Sunday. We want to fight for the podium again.”