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LIENZ — Marlies Schild is dominating slalom races three years after a preseason crash broke her left leg.
Schild was a contender for victories in all five World Cup disciplines, but the injury forced her to scrap the more physically demanding speed races and focus on technical events.
Schild has been close to unstoppable in slalom, winning 12 of 20 races in the discipline after returning to the circuit in late 2009. She's won six of eight slalom races in the World Cup this year, along with the world championship title.
"I am trying not to put as much pressure on myself as before (the injury), to be more relaxed," she said. "Technically, I am not a different racer, it's more a mental issue."
Schild earned her 30th career slalom win last week and is just four victories away from Swiss great Vreni Schneider's record. She could get another win Thursday on the same Hochstein course in Lienz where she celebrated her first victory after her comeback.
But she's trying not to let the hunt for Schneider's mark put added pressure on her.
"I know expectations are sky-high and, of course, I want to win every race," she said. "I try to forget about it and just focus on what I have to do. That works at the push of a button, I don't need any rituals going into a race. At course inspection, at warmups, at the start, I always have a clear mind."
Austria women's head coach Herbert Mandl said overcoming the year-long injury has made Schild stronger on and off the course.
"It was a lot of hard work, and she has gone through a lot of pain, even when she started racing again," Mandl said. "She is a role model in every respect — as an athlete as well as a person. She's very valuable to the team as she has shown us all how to get back from injuries or other lows in a career."
In the years before the 2008 injury, Schild had four podium finishes in downhill and super-G, making her a contender for the overall title.
Now Mandl expects Schild to return to speed racing at some point.
"The speed disciplines have disappeared because of the injury," Mandl said. "She has done great to get back to the world top in slalom and she's on her way to do the same in GS. I am sure she then will get back into speed racing as well. She has so much fun in racing and in training."
However, Schild was more reluctant to speculate on a possible return to downhill and super-G.
"At the moment, it's no issue. Surely not this season, but I won't rule it out forever," Schild said. "My body is grateful that I don't compete in all disciplines anymore. It's good to have time to regenerate, to train, to test material in between races. To me, that's more fun at the moment than hurrying from one race to another."
