Ski-pioneer conquers the Streif
Kenyan-born Sabrina Simader is the first Kenyan to conquer the Streif in Kitzbühel. It is another premier for the ski-pioneer.
Sabrina Simader is a known face in the ski racing world. The native Kenyan, who moved to Upper Austria at the age of three, has repeatedly opened new chapters in the history of ski racing in the past. To name just a few: She was Africa's first professional ski racer, the first Kenyan woman to win a FIS race, the first Kenyan woman in the Ski World Cup, the first Kenyan woman to compete in ski races at the World Championships and Winter Olympics. And as of this weekend, she is the first Kenyan woman to have conquered the Streif.
Alongside 58 other female athletes, she wrote skiing history on Saturday and Sunday, as women returned to the Streif after more than 60 years. Simader and the other athletes took part in two European Cup races - two Super-Gs. The start was at Mausefallboden, the finish at Oberhausberg. “It was very cool, an honor that the women were allowed to ski down the Streif,” said Simader with a broad smile.
Simader is a pioneer in ski racing - on many levels. Above all, however, she has become a constant in ski racing. If you watch her at races, you can immediately see how much she is appreciated by colleagues, coaches and officials. Always a smile on her lips, friendly and approachable. “It's just a huge privilege to be able to ski race and do this - and I'm generally a positive person,” says the 26-year-old.
On Saturday, she finished 39th in an Austrian quadruple victory. Simader started the race with bib 48 and struggled with the snow, which was softened by high temperatures. “It was really difficult for the back numbers”. Simader also struggled with the soft snow on the second day - she finished 46th. In the end, however, it was the experience that counted - and another entry in the history books of African ski racing.
