After a season stalled by injury, Sophia Laukli is raring to go on Saturday as last year’s overall Golden Trail World Series winner looks to defend her Sierre-Zinal title.
Until last year’s GTWS heroics, the 24-year-old was best known for her achievements in cross country skiing – she competed at the 2022 Winter Olympic Games for the USA.
The transition back from the ski season has been more of a struggle this year but she made her return in the last GTWS race, finishing fourth at the Mont-Blanc Marathon.
All systems go for Zinal
And chatting to GTWS’ Mickaël Mussard she sounded in much more confident mood ahead of this weekend when asked how she’s been doing since then.
She said: “I’m doing well! Actually, I’m much more excited now about running. The last time we talked before Mont-Blanc, I mentioned that I didn’t really feel like running because I knew I wasn’t back to my best level.
But I feel much better now and much better prepared for Sierre-Zinal.
Just over a month on from Mont-Blanc she reflected on that result: “I think that it mainly made me realise that I can’t just show up at the start line without proper preparation, but that I need to put in the work before a race. I also realised that last year was much easier for me; I was just in good shape, and I didn’t have to put in a lot of effort to make it work. I was healthy and just had to run to have a good race.
“This year, I understood that more effort is required. I was only able to prepare for three or four weeks before the race due to my injury, while the other girls are stronger. I was disappointed at first, and it took me some time to accept that, but I also realised that with the little preparation I had, I still managed to run such a long race and finish fourth.
“I felt very confident in the first half of the race because I had very good sensations. I felt in control; I even remember smiling at the second aid station because I wasn’t in any pain. But the first half is much easier than the second, and I started to feel it.
“I think I pushed a bit too hard in the descent towards Vallorcine, and suddenly, my legs started to give out. So, the second part of the race felt super long. I realised it had been a while since I had run for so long, or done any sessions on rocky terrain, or downhill. I hoped to maintain third place until the finish, but Miao Yao passed me in the final kilometres before the finish. It was frustrating, but I still have to be content with that fourth place.”
Fierce competition
Asked whether her own form is weaker or her rivals have raised their levels, Laukli reckoned: “I think it’s probably a bit of both, but it’s certain that I wasn’t at my best level, far from it. It’s hard to gauge because last year I faced Judith [Wyder, the winner at Mont-Blanc] under particular conditions; I had COVID in Italy, and I wasn’t at my best in the final either. I think Pikes Peak was a fair confrontation, but in the end, I’m not sure if she’s improved a lot.
“Madalina [Florea, the Grand Final winner last year], on the other hand, was very strong in the final but I think she’s improved even more.”
Asked which of the two impressed her most at Mont-Blanc, Laukli replied: “I knew Judith would be in good shape; she’s very smart, and I had seen that she was in form. So, in the end, it didn’t surprise me much.
“I was more impressed by how Madalina handled such a long race at that speed. Last year, that was a bit of her problem, managing the pace, like at Sierre-Zinal where I passed her three-quarters through the race. Miao Yao also surprised me. I knew I wasn’t at my best in the descent, but I didn’t expect her to catch up with me. I think she’s improved a lot, especially downhill, and she will be someone to watch out for.”
‘Super motivated’
But focussing on her own performance at Sierre-Zinal, it’s clear that hopes are high – even though she’s playing down expectations.
“I know it’s a tough race, especially to make my real comeback. It’s the most competitive race in the world, so I’m super motivated. I was frustrated at Mont-Blanc, not because of the result but simply because I wasn’t at my level. This will be the time to show that I’m really back, but I know it will be hard.
“I have a goal… But I don’t want to talk too much about it. I hope that with the way my season started, I won’t be too much under the spotlight; I want to take some pressure off. But, well… I know that as the defending champion, people will be watching me closely.”
Finally, asked if she’d reassessed her overall goals in light of her season’s start, she added: “I think it’s still possible to win the Golden Trail Series, but I need to have a perfect second half of the season. But I also think it’s good to have this adversity so early in the season because I won’t be surprised if I’m not in front at the final.
“I now know what to expect, and it will help me in my preparation. I’m also starting to tell myself that if I don’t manage it, it doesn’t mean it’s a terrible season, especially considering how it started. I’m going to give it my all to come back and win, but I also need to take a step back and look at the season as a whole.”
