Herbert Mandl Will Take Over The Development Of "Alpine Support Center Arlberg." Christian Mitter Will Succeed Him As New OSV Alpine Sports Director.

Following the successful World Championships in Saalbach, and as part of a further development of the alpine structure within the Austrian Ski Association (ÖSV), Herbert Mandl will take over the development of an alpine base in St. Christoph on the Arlberg. Christian Mitter will assume the role of Alpine Sports Director at the ÖSV, who will be officially introduced at a press conference next Wednesday.

Herbert Mandl will be responsible for the strategically important development of the “Alpine Support Point Arlberg” in the future.

Christian Mitter brings extensive international and national experience to his new role. He served as the men's head coach of the Norwegian Ski Association for many years and as head coach of the Austrian Ski Federation's women's team from 2019 to 2022. Most recently, he has been primarily responsible for the Norwegian men's technical team since 2022.

Mario Stecher (ÖSV Sports Director): "We are very grateful to Herbert for his work over the past few years. With his experience, expertise, and dedication, he made a significant contribution to the successful home World Championships in Saalbach. With the new alpine base on the Arlberg, he is taking on a role of great strategic importance. The goal is to link the Ski Austria Academy even more closely with racing in the future and create sustainable added value for the alpine discipline within the ÖSV.
It is also very advantageous for Christian Mitter to take on the position this season – this allows him to assume responsibility right from the start and play a key role in shaping the upcoming Olympic cycle. We would also like to express our sincere thanks to the Norwegian Ski Federation for their extremely fair and accommodating reaction to Christian Mitter's departure."

Herbert Mandl: "After three intensive years in the operational management of the alpine division, I am very pleased to be taking on a new task in the future with the establishment of an alpine base in St. Christoph. The Ski Austria Academy will celebrate its 100th anniversary next winter - a historic moment that also offers an opportunity for new impulses. From 2013 to 2022, I was already Managing Director of the Ski Austria Academy and can now devote myself even more intensively to the sporting development of this institution.
The promotion of young talent is particularly close to my heart. Especially today, it is more important than ever to identify young talents at an early stage, to support them and to accompany them in their development. St. Christoph offers the best infrastructural and geographical conditions for this - and we want to develop this location further in order to make the Arlberg one of the largest centers of excellence for talent identification and development. A central concern for us is to open the Ski Austria Academy even more to this objective and to make it more available to regional associations, schools and clubs in order to create an even broader basis in the To develop youth development. Together with our regional partners, we will develop new formats such as annual speed training camps as well as school and kids camps to ensure sustainable development for our young athletes. I am also pleased to be involved in the development of a bid for the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships in 2033 or 2035."

Christian Scherer (ÖSV Secretary General): "The planned national and international speed training camps, the close connection to the Ski Austria Academy, and the sustainable positioning of the Arlberg location will also send a strong sports-political signal within the international ski community and are already a first strong sign of our path to another FIS Alpine Ski World Championship. The further opening of the Ski Austria Academy towards the targeted development of young talent and racing also represents a conscious repositioning of this traditional institution. The goal is to establish the Academy not only as a training location, but as a living home base for the #skicrazy Austrian ski family."

Setting the course for the future,  Herbert Mandl will take over the development of the "Alpine Support Center Arlberg." Christian Mitter will succeed him as the new Alpine Sports Director.