Summary of the last season and interviews with the Szőllős siblings
It was a difficult, but successful season for the Szőllős siblings. World Championships, Junior World Championships, Universiade, Olympic Hopes Race, and numerous international competitions, just to mention the most important ones.
This had been the first season, where the whole team could concentrate on their self-planned preparation and later on their self-chosen races. Sadly, the NIVELCO racers had to meet the requirements of petty superiors in the past seasons, who weren’t informed sufficiently about ski racing. Today we can see perfectly how many resources were spent unnecessary, because of the continuous fights with these people. Looking back on this season we can say that the results prove our decisions right.
This season was primary about contesting at the biggest international races.
Noa Szőllős (16) triumphed at the most prestigious international races in Eastern and Western Europe as well as in North America in her last children year.
Barnabas Szőllős (20) chose the most difficult path, containing Downhill and Super-G Europacup races and the Junior World Championships in Italy.
Benjamin Szőllős (22) competed at the World Championships in Sweden and at the Universiade in Siberia.
NIVELCO supported the Paralympic Team and numerous young talented athletes in their preparation again this year and is hoping to be able to offer financial and professional help for those who trusted us, also in the future.
We would like to thank Markus Erhardt for his professional work as a coach, which he participated in his free time beside his studies at the university in the past five years.
Simultaneously it is our pleasure to introduce our new head coach Michael Stocker. He is a multiple grass ski world champion who has been primary helping Noa’s preparation and racing since April, having in mind that it’s very important to coordinate the three athletes together, so they can prepare and train with each other. Noa Szőllős will become also a FIS racer with the upcoming season, this fact creates further opportunities for the siblings to race together again while making each other stronger.
We would like to thank the Olympic Committee of Israel especially, for helping us make our dreams come true.
INTERVIEW WITH THE SZŐLLŐS SIBLINGS
– How was your preparation for your first whole season in Israeli colors?
Noa Szőllős: – It’s nice to have a sense of freedom when you can choose freely when and how you want to train and prepare yourself for the season especially if you’re getting ready for your last year in U16 which was very important to me.
Barnabás Szőllős: – Last year the change of nationality used up a lot of time and energy. This year I did not have this issue that’s why I was able to prepare more freely and with a plan for the season.
Benjamin Szőllős: – The Ski Federation of Israel has a better system for evaluating results. This provided me with more freedom preparing for the events which are important to me.
– Which were the important races you highlighted in your preparation?
Noa Szőllős: – All of them were very important to me and I tried to get ready as well as I could and most of the time it worked but the races that got a little 32 bit more attention would probably have to be Pokal Loka (Slovenia) and Alpecimbra (Italy), the two hardest races of the season and also the two races that I’m most proud of.
Barnabás Szőllős: – In 2018 at the JWCH (Junior World Championships) in Davos, I achieved outstanding results in the speed disciplines (DH, SG) but I felt like I could be even better next year. This season it was all about getting experience on the big races and not just collecting FIS points. That’s how I got to one of the most difficult Downhill races in the world, the so-called Streif in Kitzbüchel.
Benjamin Szőllős: – The SES cup in December was the first important event for me this season because the races on the beginning of the season give feedback about the summer work. Further important races which needed extra preparation were the world championship in Sweden and the Winter Universiade in Siberia.
– Who helped in your preparation and on your races?
Noa Szőllős: – I have to thank my school (TZW), my coaches Lukas Tippelreither and the newest member of the NIVELCO Ski Team, Michael Stocker and my teammates for pushing me to my limits during the trainings and also my parents and NIVELCO, because none of this would be possible without them.
Barnabás Szőllős: – I had a lot of fitness preparation with the school team based on the program of our coach Michael Stocker. At the European Cup races, I worked together with the ÖSV (Österreichishes Skiverband – Austrian Ski Federation) and other big teams. My coach, Markus Erhardt, helped me organize this, and at the end of the season, after five years of work together, we decided to split our way.
Benjamin Szőllős: – Until the mentioned SES cup I was training together with the Georgian national team, which was led by the Austrian coach Walter Hubmann. I had been in the right place at the right time, thus I was able to join an international ski team, the Kronplatz Racing Center. I finished the season with the help of this team and I’m already planning the next one with them.
– Which of your results are you the most proud of your last season?
Noa Szőllős: – As I said before, Pokal Loka was a pleasant surprise this year for me reaching the 3rd place in GS and 6th in Slalom, and Alpecimbra where I achieved good results despite my mistakes (SL 5th, GS 4th). All in all, I’m proud of what I accomplished this year.
Barnabás Szőllős: – JWCH (Junior World Championship) 2019 10th place at the downhill training and 17th place at the race the next day. Unfortunately, in the JWCH super giant slalom race, I hooked up a gate and ran into the protective net. My skis were broken, my legs and my back tightened, so I couldn’t take the race the next day. I have done a lot for this world championship, I wanted to get a good result in these numbers, but there will be a chance to prove it!
Benjamin Szőllős: – My 18th place in Slalom at the Universiade. This result makes me look forward to the next Universiade in 2 years.
– What further success have you achieved?
Noa Szőllős: – I achieved 1st places on the following races: Ski Interkriterium Vratna Slovakia SL, Trofeu Borrufa Andorra SL, and GS, Zagreb Trophy Croatia, Barcelonette Young Citizen Cup France SG, AC, GS, and SL. Furthermore, I had quite a few podium places, for example, two 2nd places and a 3rd place on the Whistler Cup Canada race. In addition, I was able to stand 7 times on the top of the podium on Austrian provincial races.
Barnabás Szőllős: – First place Lackenhof (Austria) FIS giant slalom race, second place Passo San Pellegrino (Italy) FIS giant slalom race and third place in Kouty (Czech Republic) FIS slalom race. Bischofswiesen Götschen (Germany) in AC combination 4th place, super-giant slalom 2 times 5th place. In this competition series, I was able to improve my FIS points in both races even in the very strong field.
Benjamin Szőllős: – I can look back proudly on the SES cup where I won the Slalom race again, but this year I also achieved a podium place in the Giant Slalom. This year’s world championships had been the first where I could start at a final because of my result at the qualification race and not just because of my country of origin.
– How do you rate your last season?
Noa Szőllős: – Of course, there were a lot of ups and downs but in the end, the most important thing is that I had a lot of fun and reached most of my goals for this season.
Barnabás Szőllős: – Despite the fact that this season was not about collecting FIS points and most of the time I started in European Cup races, I still managed to gain a better position in some disciplines on the world ranking list.
Benjamin Szőllős: – This season was one of my most successful seasons. I finished this season with a kind of skiing, which gives me power for an intensive summer preparation for the upcoming season. I also gained Olympic A qualification level in Slalom and Alpine Combination.
– What are your goals for the next season?
Noa Szőllős: – My next goal is to get enough FIS points until December so that I‘ll be able to compete in the 2020 Youth Olympic Games in Lausanne and I’m also really excited to visit new places, meet new people and learn what it truly means to be a ski racer.
Barnabás Szőllős: – Next season I am going to train again with my siblings so we can train more efficiently and push each other.
Benjamin Szőllős: – I still want to focus on technical disciplines and improve my place on the world ranking, to get a better starting position at the next world championship and Universiade.