Kira Weidle tried to find her way back quickly and not to deal with this second Super-G in St. Anton for too long.

She put the spotlight on the first of this Alpine World Cup weekend.

"You could see that it worked," she said.

With a higher start number, the best German speed driver had reached seventh place on Saturday, she had never been better in this discipline.

She finished the race 24 hours later in eighteenth place.

"I didn't get into the run and rhythm that well," analyzed the 26-year-old ski racer from SC Starnberg.

There it was again, struggling with a super-G performance.

The days in the Arlberg reflect her career so far in the second fastest discipline.

Weidle had already thought a few times that she had untied the knot, but after a step forward there was usually one back immediately.

Now the question is whether their performance corresponds more to the result from Saturday or rather to that from Sunday.

"In the right direction

"We are sure that I have not yet exhausted my potential," says Weidle.

Also in the downhill, she is not quite where she wants to be, but the World Cup runner-up from Cortina d'Ampezzo 2021 has long since established itself at a high level in the elite.

A third place, like that of St. Moritz before Christmas, is "always good," she said, "but you've had that a couple of times now.

There are other goals.” Namely, the first World Cup victory.

In Super-G, she would be happy to consistently be among the top 15, although she thinks things are "going in the right direction".

In the Super-G, Weidle admits, she simply lacks the self-confidence to master the tighter curves at the limit, as the winners Federica Brignone from Italy (Saturday) and the Swiss Lara Gut-Behrami did on the Arlberg.

"If she can do that, she'll be as quick as in the downhill," said head coach Andreas Puelacher.

In contrast to the fastest discipline, in the Super-G she cannot approach the track in training runs, she has to limit herself to the assessment before the race.

"Maybe," she says, "I sometimes think a little too much." But it's also down to personality, "whether you're someone who ignores everything and just burns," she said, referring to it on Sofia Goggia.

"Air upward"

The Italian fell again on Saturday because she never retreats.

Weidle, on the other hand, has a keen sense of when it makes sense to take a risk and when not.

Perhaps one reason why she has been spared from serious injuries in her career so far.

On the other hand, in Goggia she also has an athlete in front of her on the downhill who can almost only be passed if she fails.

This is an incentive for Weidle.

“You want to tickle her a bit in every race.” In St. Moritz she came within four tenths of a second, “and I still had room for improvement”.

However, da Goggia had broken his hand in a fall the day before and, for once, probably hadn't driven at full risk.

Weidle is persistent on her way and does not avoid difficulties, but tackles them.

After Christmas she worked on her weaknesses, especially in Super-G.

The trainers sent them to giant slalom training, to cornering.

It was her wish that she went with the men to the training camp in Chile in the fall – and she is committed to a repeat.

"It was extremely beneficial for me, and I don't think it bothered the boys." When it came to jumping and checking the ideal line, she was able to learn a lot from the men.

This not only helps for the descent, but also for the Super-G.

You just have to trust yourself.