Fischer signs Hans Knauss, Mario Matt and several others

Fischer signs Hans Knauss, Mario Matt and several others{mosimage}Mario Matt and Hans Knauss will be skiing on Fischer skis next season, adding two big Austrian names to the Austrian company’s alpine roster. Matt was previously on Salomon, and Knauss was on Atomic. Both signed to Fischer in last two weeks.

Matt, famous for his wide stance and died hair, won the 2001 world championship slalom at St. Anton, not far from his Arlberg-region roots. But ended up with a serious shoulder injury the next season dislocation and a torn ligament and has been fighting back into the rankings ever since.

‘As world champion, Mario has shown what he is capable of’ said Fischer’s race manager Sigi Voglreiter. ‘At the same time he is young, hungry and wants to get back to the very top. Which is why he is ideal for Fischer. Together we will do everything we can to be successful.’

Knauss, the 33-year-old from Schladming, has signed a two-year-contract with the company. ‘This is a completely new challenge for me’ he said in a Fischer press release. ‘I really want to start through in the coming season, want to bring great successes. I have always fancied Fischer, as they have great racing potentials and fantastic racing know-how.’

The company, which describes Knauss as a ‘man of sympathy’ also announced that his brother, Franz Knauss, will be in charge of service. Knauss is already testing skis in Obergurgl, in preparation for a strong medal push at the 2005 world championships, in Bormio, Italy. ‘For three disciplines I am in the first starting group’ said Knauss. ‘In Bormio I want to start in all three of them and aim for a medal.’

On the women’s side, U.S. race director Mike Day says that several athletes are expressing interest in the Fischer boot. ‘There will definitely be more than athletes than Nicole Hosp using that boot next year’ he said.

But it’s on the men’s side that Fischer has made the greatest strides. Besides Knauss and Matt, Fischer also signed Frederic Nyberg of Sweden and Tom Rothrock of the United States to contracts this spring. The company’s website boasts that ‘no fewer than six of the current top 30 use the yellow and black race machines.’