Ski Austria president leaves door open to Gritsch return

Franziska Gritsch finished ninth at the World Cup season opener in Sölden on Saturday, prompting Austrian Ski Federation president Roswitha Stadlober to say she hopes the skier will return to the team. ORF reported that Gritsch currently competes with a private team alongside her partner and coach, Florian Stengg.

Gritsch was the only Austrian to score points in the race. She said the top-10 finish meant a lot after what she described as two difficult years, and was her best World Cup result since early 2024.

Gritsch and the federation parted ways at the end of 2023 because Stengg, who was her coach, had to leave that role under federation rules because of their relationship. Since then, the pair have paid for their own training and accommodation. Gritsch said they often train alone but have also worked with athletes from other countries, including Croatia’s Zrinka Ljutić and New Zealand’s Alice Robinson.

“The doors are always open,” Stadlober said after the race. She added that Martin Sprenger, a coach who returned to Ski Austria last year and knows Gritsch well, was among those willing to reach out to her. Stadlober said she hoped Gritsch might eventually rejoin the team.

Gritsch said Stadlober’s comments had surprised her. She added that the matter had become calmer under new women’s head coach Johannes Zöchling and that she had a good basis for discussions with Alpine chief Christian Mitter.

Mitter said on Thursday that a return for Gritsch and Stengg would be “rather difficult”, but that the federation could talk again if Gritsch met its squad criteria. He said the federation was trying to support her as much as possible at races.