Featured Image: Lenz Hächler. Credit: GEPA
This past season showcased the Swiss Ski Team’s impressive depth for another year in a row, most evident on the World Cup circuit. Notably, the Swiss ‘B’ Team has risen to the challenge, with 21-year-old Nordica athlete Lenz Hächler emerging as a standout racer.
After securing the Junior World Championship Title in slalom in the 2023/24 season, Hächler dedicated his focus to the FIS Europe Cup Circuit this season.
This season marked his first time finishing in the top three of the Europe Cup Circuit, and he did it spectacularly, securing eight podium finishes, including four victories.
This was no easy feat for him, as he has been pushing through persistent pain in his shin, which has been an ongoing obstacle in his progress.
Mitigating Pain to Achieve Success
Hächler has been experiencing constant pain for several seasons in his shin, making it difficult to put a ton of pressure on it.
Hächler stated, “I have had it for a long time. I started really struggling with it last season, especially in slalom.”
In the 2024 season he realized he could no longer ignore the pain: “Last year it really got worse, especially in December.” He had to sit out of competition in the midst of the season and stop training slalom entirely for 2 months.
He was continuously met with frustration as doctors and other health professionals didn’t know an exact solution.
“The only thing that really helped me was rest.”
To address his pain, he needed to schedule enough recovery time, so he collaborated with his doctors and coaches to develop a comprehensive plan.
With time off and a careful approach to training, it allowed him to continue to compete throughout the rest of the 2024 season. Even with a lack of training, especially in slalom, he was still able to end last season on a high note, with a surprising gold at the FIS Junior World Championships.
“At Juniors, I didn’t train in slalom for two months, so I didn’t have any expectations at all. I just skied, and it worked out.”
This fueled his momentum into the 2025 season.
2025: Hächler’s Best Year on the Europe Cup Circuit
This season he turned his focus onto GS and speed events on the Europe Cup Circuit in hopes of securing a fixed spot in the World Cup giant slalom.
Hächler utilized his mental strength to persevere through the adversity of training less than his peers.
He stated, “In training, sometimes it just bothers me, so I have to just get the best out of the training that I got.”
“I think mentally maybe it’s a strength of mine to just always get the best out of every day, every training, and every race,” he continued.
With strategizing and defeating mental barriers, he achieved his most successful racing season to date.
“This was the first season that I could do all the races, and it started off really cool in Switzerland with my first win.”
After his inaugural wins in the two GS events in Zinal, Switzerland, he was triumphant in the GS in Aal, Norway, and the super-G in Kvitfjell, Norway. These victories and other podium results secured him a fixed spot on the World Cup Circuit for the 2026 season.
A Different Way to Start the 2025 Season
Before achieving his most successful season to date, Hächler fulfilled a requirement that all Swiss men face: completing 18 weeks of service in the Swiss military.
However, professional athletes get to take a different approach to their service. They are provided training, educational resources, and more at the Magglingen Swiss Federal Institute of Sport (SFISM) Olympic facility.
At the facility, professional athletes have the opportunity to train continuously while earning an income. They also gain valuable insights into various business aspects they will face in their careers.
“For athletes, it’s quite nice there. You get the best support.”
He continued, “You have the best training infrastructure and everything; you have a great view of the lake, and financially, it’s nice because we get paid for skiing.”
Heading into a World Cup Season
Hächler has already had the experience of starting in five World Cup races, which gave him a taste of the exhilarating atmosphere, making him more thrilled for the season ahead.
He reflected on his World Cup in Adelboden on home snow. “Adelboden was absolutely crazy. I have never been there to watch the race. So, it was the first time at the World Cup race, and the crowd, the atmosphere, the tension, and everything—it’s all pretty crazy.”
Although he was met with frustration as he did not finish any of the World Cups, he knew it was “All about the process and getting that experience.”
As he approaches the World Cup, he keeps a close eye on his teammates who have found success on the circuit, particularly Marco Odermatt. He mentioned that he studies their performances through video, aiming to absorb as much knowledge as possible.
Additionally, since they train in the same gym, he has the opportunity to gain insights from their strength and conditioning techniques.
Support from the Nordica Team
The Swiss athlete is surrounded by an immense amount of support from his teammates, medical team, and coaches, yet attributes a significant portion of his success to the support he receives from the Nordica Racing Team.
He stated, “The support from them [Nordica Racing Team] has been amazing. We’ve talked a lot about skis, and they have always tried to find me the best setup. Also, I was able to try two new models of skis, and they were continuously in contact with me about them.”
Hächler has always been proud and true to Nordica: “I think that the equipment works really well for me. I’ve never skied anything else; I’ve always skied on Nordica.
Furthermore, the company sent a Nordica technician with him to various speed races last season to ensure his equipment was in top condition and fast. “That was really cool to have a tech for myself; he was great to be around, and we had discussions about the equipment to find the best setup. It worked really well with him.”
Hächler wrapped up the season with a gear testing camp, where he explored equipment from Nordica. Now, he’s taking a well-deserved holiday before gearing up for what promises to be his biggest season yet.
He is an athlete who consistently demonstrates the resilience needed to achieve significant goals. One of the key pieces of advice he embraces is: “Be prepared to adapt to any situation, while still getting the best out of it.”
About the Author: Ellie Hartman
