Which ski resort can you recommend in particular?
Anna Schaffelhuber: My favorite ski resort is at Whistler in the west of Canada. It's enormous and the conditions are really different from the Alps. The snow is a lot drier and less slippery, which means that the slope doesn't get smooth as quickly and you can enjoy the ride for longer.
Imagine that you had to express your life motto in just three words. What would it be?
My life motto is actually only three words long: "It's my life". Either do it now or never!
After your successful world cup: What comes next? Will you allow yourself a few days of vacation?
After my return to Germany I’m planning to go on holiday for a couple of days. After that, I will concentrate on my studies again and I will start with the first ski tests.
How high was the pressure before this world cup in terms of your expectations - especially after your victory in the 2015 overall world cup? How do you handle this kind of thing?
Expectations were obviously high, just as they were before the Paralympic Games in Sochi. But most of the pressure comes from me. The nerves really hit just before the start, when I'm standing at the top and preparing myself internally for the race. After that I'm just concentrating on the goal and on reaching the bottom as quickly and safely as possible.
A lot of professional athletes are said to have specific rituals that they carry out before important competitions in order to prepare themselves. How do you switch off?
Unlike many athletes I don't have a ritual, but the procedure is exactly the same every time. 20 minutes before the start I begin to change my skis and warm up, then I check the monoski and take my coat off. Just before the start I get the final info from my coach: then it all begins.
As in 2011 and 2013, last year you were once again named disabled sportsperson of the year. What significance does this prize have for you?
For me, the prize is something really special. It's not just recognition of my sporting achievements, but also a kind of self-validation for me personally. The attention of the audience is quite simply something else, and I always take a great deal of pleasure in it.
As the new German ski star you're a role model for others. How do you personally see this role?
I have mixed feelings about it. On the one hand it's great that so many people think of me as a role model and that I can give them something to take away. On the other hand, this role can also build up a certain amount of pressure. I never think about whether I'm acting like a role model in a given moment, though - I'm just myself. It's nice to know that I can be a role model while doing that.
What other hobbies do you pursue when you aren't on the slopes?
I always say that I live by the "two worlds" principle. Either I'm skiing or I'm at uni, pressing on with my law degree. On the odd occasion that I have a few free minutes, I like to meet up with my friends or simply read a good book. I also enjoy spending time outside, for example going riding.
