Austria Names 2026–27 ÖSV Teams — Depth Is Still There, But Can It Deliver?

Austria has officially named its alpine ski teams for the 2026–27 season, and the picture looks familiar. The ÖSV once again brings one of the deepest systems in the sport, with 94 athletes—52 men and 42 women—spread across four levels.

There’s no shortage of talent here. There never is.

The real question is what Austria does with it—especially in speed, where the gap to Switzerland, Italy and also German women has become harder to ignore.

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Women’s Team: Scheib Leads, but Returns Could Shape the Season

Austria’s women’s national team (8 athletes) features:

• Katharina Huber
• Cornelia Hütter
• Katharina Liensberger
• Nina Ortlieb
• Mirjam Puchner
• Ariane Rädler
• Julia Scheib
• Katharina Truppe

Julia Scheib comes into the season as the focal point after winning the giant slalom crystal globe. More importantly, she backed it up week after week. That kind of consistency is what Austria has been looking for in the technical disciplines.

But this group might be defined just as much by who comes back as who leads it.

Liensberger never really had a clean run at last season. When she’s right, she has the timing and strength to challenge anyone. Ortlieb sits in a similar position on the speed side—if she’s healthy, she brings the kind of power and commitment needed to push at the limit on the toughest tracks.

Put those pieces together, and Austria suddenly has options again.

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A-Squad (13 athletes)

• Nina Astner
• Stephanie Brunner
• Magdalena Egger (promoted from B-squad)
• Nathalie Falch (promoted from B-squad)
• Nadine Fest
• Katharina Gallhuber (promoted from B-squad)
• Lisa Grill
• Ricarda Haaser
• Lisa Hörhager (promoted from B-squad)
• Victoria Olivier
• Anna Schilcher (new)
• Emily Schöpf
• Carmen Spielberger

There’s a clear pattern here. Athletes move up when they earn it, and just as quickly, they can move down. The pipeline isn’t theoretical—it’s active.

That’s where Austria separates itself. There’s always someone coming.

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Men’s Team: Plenty of Talent, but Speed Still Has to Prove It

Austria’s men’s national team (9 athletes) includes:

• Stefan Babinsky
• Stefan Brennsteiner
• Manuel Feller
• Fabio Gstrein
• Raphael Haaser
• Daniel Hemetsberger
• Vincent Kriechmayr
• Michael Matt (promoted from A-squad)
• Marco Schwarz

On paper, it’s all there. Kriechmayr is still one of the most reliable speed skiers in the world. Feller and Schwarz can compete with anyone in slalom and giant slalom. Haaser keeps showing he belongs in the mix.

But paper isn’t the issue.

Austria’s speed group hasn’t been able to match what Switzerland and Italy are doing right now. Those teams aren’t just winning—they’re putting multiple athletes in position to win, over and over again.

Austria hasn’t had that same presence.

Too often, it comes back to Kriechmayr carrying the load, with others showing flashes but not enough consistency.

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A-Squad (8 athletes)

• Stefan Eichberger
• Lukas Feurstein (relegated from national team)
• Patrick Feurstein (relegated from national team)
• Felix Hacker
• Dominik Raschner
• Johannes Strolz
• Joshua Sturm (promoted from B-squad)
• Manuel Traninger (promoted from B-squad)

There’s no shortage of numbers—52 athletes across the men’s program is more than enough to build results.

The real challenge is what happens next.

How many of these skiers can actually make the jump? How many can handle racing at the limit, where small mistakes cost races—or worse?

That’s the step Austria needs to take again.

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A System That Keeps Moving

Every year, the ÖSV system turns over. This season is no different.

Among those no longer in the squads:

• Daniel Danklmaier
• Otmar Striedinger
• Max Franz
• Adrian Pertl
• Andreas Ploier
• Simon Rueland
• Clemens Rettenwander (retired)
• Hannes Endstrasser (retired)
• Stefan Schaidraiter (retired)

Some of those names step away. Others simply get passed.

That’s how it works here. Spots aren’t held—they’re taken.

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The Question That Matters

Austria doesn’t need to prove it has depth. That part is obvious.

What matters now is whether that depth turns into wins again—especially in speed, where the standard has moved.

Because in this system, being deep isn’t the goal.

Being the fastest is.