Silvano was born on June 16, 2005, and attended kindergarten and elementary school in Pettneu am Arlberg. He then attended secondary school in St. Anton am Arlberg for four years and graduated from the Villa Blanka Tourism School in Innsbruck after five years of training.

Silvano achieved his first sporting successes as an alpine ski racer in district and state cup races. In 2019, Silvano decided to continue his education in Innsbruck, where he attended boarding school, thus ending his career as an alpine ski racer. However, this gave him more time, especially on the weekends, and ski mountaineering became his new passion.

In November 2021, Silvano participated in the ÖSV's national test races for the first time and immediately won them in his age category, thus convincing the ÖSV officials. This resulted in him being nominated by the ÖSV for the European Championships in February 2022, giving him his first opportunity to compete on the international stage.

The following season, his Matura (high school diploma) was approaching, so Silvano focused solely on the most important international competitions, as completing his five-year training program at Villa Blanka with the best possible results was very important to him. As a junior in the U20 category, he achieved several top-10 and top-5 results in the Youth World Cup and made it onto the podium in third place in the final race of the season. Silvano graduated from high school in spring 2024, and in July, thanks to his good results, he was able to enlist as an army athlete in the Austrian Armed Forces.

Last season was another complete success for Silvano. In the Youth World Cup, he finished on the podium in every Vertical and Individual event, and even won two races in Slovakia. At the end of the season, his consistent performances were rewarded with second place in the overall Youth World Cup standings. He also excelled in his two signature disciplines, Vertical and Individual, at the Junior World Championships in Switzerland, securing silver and bronze, respectively. The icing on the cake was his World Cup debut in the Elite category, where Silvano immediately placed in the top 30, finishing 28th.

Silvano has been a member of the Arlberg Ski Club for many years and appreciates the camaraderie and community spirit. He is also very happy and grateful for the support he receives from the ski club, which has opened up several new opportunities for him.

Yours, Silvano

August 2025

Silvano, tell us briefly about your season. How did it go?

In July 2024, I reported for basic training at the Goëss Barracks in Klagenfurt. After completing that in mid-August, I was able to fully focus on the sport for the first time. In September, thanks to a brief but intense winter storm, my teammates and I were able to train on snow for the first time.

Where did you prepare for the season?

In the fall, we spent a lot of time on the glaciers, especially on the Kitzsteinhorn, where we were able to optimally prepare for the season.

What was your personal highlight of last season – a race, a moment, or a special encounter?

My World Cup debut was definitely the coolest race of the entire season and will certainly stay with me for a long time.

Which results from last season are you most proud of?

Two medals at the World Championships, two Youth World Cup victories, and five out of five podium finishes in my core disciplines in the Youth World Cup is a result I can definitely be satisfied with. Second place in the overall World Cup also confirms my consistently good performance last season.

What does your training look like? How do you prepare?

I train about 30 hours a week, 6-7 days a week.

From spring to fall, I do a lot of training on my road bike, mountain bike, or trail running.

I also train as much as possible on the Kaunertal Glacier in the spring, and then again in the fall, as soon as the glacier season opens.

Strength and recovery training, as well as physiotherapy sessions, are also part of my daily routine.

Were you able to maintain your training consistently throughout the entire winter season?

The season went almost perfectly, but after the World Championships, I was only able to train to a limited extent due to a prolonged cold and had to conserve all my energy for the competitions.

What was the biggest challenge for you this season?

At the last Youth World Cup in France, the downhills were extremely technical due to the high temperatures the day before and the sub-zero temperatures at night.

Do you have any rituals to avoid getting too nervous before a race?

If I know I'm in good shape, I don't get nervous.

How important is your personal environment to you?

Above all, family, ski association, and ski club are and always have been very important. Otherwise, I'm more of a person who enjoys training alone and taking responsibility for my own performance.

What would you say to yourself at the beginning of the season today?

My motto is generally: "A lot is better - more is better!" However, in some cases, a little less is also more.

What awaits you in the coming season?

I'm really looking forward to next season, in which I'll be competing regularly in the elite category for the first time. Only the European Championships have a U23 ranking, and my goal would, of course, be a medal. In terms of athletics, I want to gain a foothold in the World Cup in my first full season and regularly reach the top 20.