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After a break of several years the Austria Ski ladies are currently training abroad. Mallorca - with its sun - has proven to be the ideal destination for the kick-off of preparations for the World Champs season 2012/13. Both World Cup teams around Elisabeth Görgl and Michaela Kirchgasser are staying on the island until 21st May focused on road biking and conditioning.

Sport Director Hans Pum commented: "I wanted myself to join the training camp here to see how things work out on site. This is a special way of starting the training for the World Champs season and I am happy that the Swiss are helping us to make sure it will be a successful season for us Austrians,“ thanking the Swiss Max Hürzeler, who is providing the team with high quality training bikes and guides.

The Austrian ladies' head coach Herbert Mandl noted: "The training camp here is in any case paying itself back. Given the extraordinary cold temperatures at home it is great to start the conditioning in summery weather and Mallorca is a great location for road biking along with providing an excellent infrastructure for bike rentals. We chose this destination to mark the start for the Worlds season in a special way. The athletes are participating with great ambition and joy in the training and the camp lays an important foundation for endurance. Our conditioning coaches have developed a very varied and solid program for this camp.“

Hannes Zöchling, conditioning coach, explains: "We would like to have finished with most of the endurance training by the beginning of June. It is going very well as Mallorca offers stable weather ensuring that we can reach our time and distance goals on the bike easier than at home. In the end the athletes will have covered 500 km on the bike. In addition we have core and coordinative units and balance training on the program every afternoon.“

Michaela Kirchgasser said: "I find the conditioning camp here on Mallorca cool and a good start. It allows a good start with my training including individualized training pace on the bike. It feels like a training camp and a holiday at the same time.“

Stefanie Köhle added: "For me it is a special first camp for many reasons. It is my first time on Mallorca and when I know that it is snowing at home and the training conditions would not be very good, it really is ideal here. The afternoon trainings by the sea are perfect. Also It is my first time as member of the national team. I always wanted to achieve this and hope to stay on this course. My goal is in the top seven in giant slalom next season and to start at the home Worlds.“

Elisabeth Görgl concluded: "The camp on Mallorca is very special and a fun way to begin the fitness training. It is wonderful that the ski association enables us to do this. It is great to have a hotel right by the sea, training conditions are excellent, the water amazing, and it is a pure enjoyment to ride the bike here. I am very happy with our training units here, I can do a bit more every day so it is great. I hope that it won't be as cold when we get home. The motivation and the holiday feeling I hope to bring with me for the further training months.“

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