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Updated4. April 2024, 1:47 p.m
Janine Schmitt: Ski hope (23) achieves something historic: “I can be very proud”
Ski racer Janine Schmitt achieved overall victory in the European Cup. This means that the 23-year-old can theoretically take part in all World Cup races next season.
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Janine Schmitt achieves the overall European Cup victory.
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This means the 23-year-old can compete in all World Cup races next winter.
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In conversation with 20 Minutes, she says what that means to her.
When 20 Minutes reached ski hopeful Janine Schmitt on the phone, she was tired, no wonder after the tough program with four races in Norway that she had behind her. But it brought her success – and what a success.
Schmitt was only the seventh Swiss woman to win the overall European Cup. The other ski racers are Christine von Grünigen (1983), Petra Bernet (1988), Sylviane Berthod (1996), Lilian Kummer (2001), Lara Gut-Behrami (2008) and Michelle Gisin (2014). Schmitt knew nothing about these statistics before the race.
Success was unexpected
Now the 23-year-old is mentioned together with Gut-Behrami and Gisin. «I think I can be very proud. It’s very cool to be called names like that. And it makes you want more in the future when you are compared to these top cracks.”
Because both drivers were among Schmitt’s idols. «Michelle is a great all-rounder and I also enjoy doing all the races. Technically, almost no one drives as well as Lara. They are both great role models.”
This great success came unexpectedly for the St. Gallen resident. “If someone had told me that at the beginning of the season, I wouldn’t have believed it,” she says and laughs. She never thought about it, she kept finishing in the top ten throughout the season and collecting points. It was only towards the middle or even the end of the season that she realized that overall victory could be possible. “It then became a goal for me.”
Now, thanks to the overall victory, Schmitt can theoretically take part in all World Cup races in the coming ski season. This will not be possible due to the energy balance, she is aware of that. Which races she takes part in will be discussed with the trainers. It is important to her that there is good planning. «Doing all the races is not the goal. We have to stay realistic and manage it well so that the energy is there until the end of the season.”
Avoid slalom
If she had to leave out one discipline, it would be slalom. Although she enjoys doing it, she hasn’t trained much in recent years. “I never had any great success in slalom, which is why I haven’t invested much in the last few years.” Your goal in the World Cup is to regularly finish in the points.
Schmitt has already competed in the World Cup five times in the last two seasons, and in Cortina in January 2023 she even scored points in 26th place. “That was a big highlight. This winter it was more about getting to know the World Cup. And the home races were a huge experience.” By this she means Crans-Montana.
She is completely into skiing
Schmitt, who graduated from high school and enjoys playing the piano and painting in her free time, is now fully committed to skiing. “I think with my high school diploma I have every opportunity to start doing whatever I want later, as soon as the time comes.”
Now there are the last races at the Swiss championships, after which Schmitt’s long season will be over. Then she goes on vacation, she needs “something other than snow, with a beach – and warmer.” She doesn’t have any concrete plans, but “I’ll probably go with my sister.”
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