Sitting up in the Hahnenkamm Zielhaus in Kitzbuehel is a young attractive lady watching the men's racing. This is a lady who took the world by storm from the moment that she made her first start in the Women's World Cup. Five races into her career and the young Swiss girl caught the attention of the world's media with a third place in St Moritz in February 2008.  "I should be in Cortina but since I am still recovering from an injury I was invited to come here to Kitzbuehel as a VIP guest of my new sponsor Rolex. It is very likely that for the next ten years or so I will not have the opportunity to come back here since the Women's World Cup events are held in different venues than the Men's so I thought it would be a great opportunity!" explained the bubbly and smiling Swiss girl.

Lara Gut is only eighteen years old and has already earned two silver medals at the Worlds in Val d'Isère and one win and two other World Cup podium places to her name. She has a constant smile about her and the Women's Tour is certainly missing her vitality.  If one Rolex cannot be there to make the headlines then another will! Lindsey Vonn, also a Rolex Testimonee has been making the headlines with her wins in the speed events yet Lara Gut has barely watched the Women's races this winter: "I was talking to my father this morning and I think the last race I watched was Lienz (between Christmas and New Year)," she admitted.

"I have been with the Rolex family for six months now and it is really interesting to know people from Rolex Germany and France and what they do. For example yesterday I was talking to the man that organises the 24 Hours of Le Mans where like here for the Hahnenkamm Race Rolex is a sponsor and timekeeper," explains Gut about her enjoyment in being with Rolex in Kitzbuehel. "This is something I could not do if I was racing," she continues.

Skiing is a huge part of Lara Gut's life. You can see the frustration in her face when she talks about not being able to race let alone free ski.  At the beginning of February it will be four months since she injured herself and then the road to recovery starts. "This does not mean that I will be back racing in a month," she explains, "I will back on the skis and that will be a great feeling," she continues. "I miss the free skiing lots. To ski is a lifestyle. I miss this life!"

The fact that the men are racing does not cause her too many problems, as "I cannot race in this race. I could not go to Cortina and watch the race though. Watching other racers racing is not for me, I am too young for that!" she grins! "The women's races do not matter to me this year" she explains. "I will watch them if I have nothing better to do."

As we stand and talk, Gut is fun to talk to. She grins, laughs and is polite.  This is a racer that lives ski racing and cannot wait to get her skis back on. A beautiful Rolex Oyster Perpetual Datejust watch has been on her wrist since a week after her injury and she feels incredibly honoured to be associated with the same sponsor as the likes Jean-Claude Killy, Hermann Maier and Roger Federer. "I am just 18 and I have this chance to know people like Hermann Maier and when you say that you have the same sponsor as Maier and Federer, it is amazing. It is so exciting, almost unreal!"

While in Kitzbuehel we have interviewed Lindsey Vonn minutes after her 5th out of 5

Women's World Cup Downhill victories this season:

What the Rolex brand means to you?
 "Rolex is about performance, perfection, quality and precision. Those are the exact same qualities you need to be a successful alpine skier".

Why are you glad to be associated with the Rolex brand?
 "I place a lot of demands on my equipment and it all needs to perform perfectly for me to be fast. Rolex takes that perfection to the highest level in their products. They are exact in every way".

How it feels to be associated in the same band of athletes as the likes of Jean-Claude Killy, Hermann Maier, Roger Federer?
"There are few names in sport that carry such respect as Killy, Maier and Federer. For me, it's an honour to be associated with such a strong line-up of outstanding professionals".

How the Rolex sponsorship came about?
 "I first met with Rolex when I was at Wimbledon last year and the relationship grew from there. I was actually there to see Federer and was lucky enough to see him win a record 15th Grand Slam title".

KPMS
January 25, 2010
Kitzbuehel, Austria

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