Georg Buchacher

I grew up in Carinthia, the southern part of Austria, so my family and I went skiing many days every season and hiking in the summer. I learned to ski at 3, taught by my mum, and during my school years, I occasionally took part in regional ski races. I was never a dedicated competitive racer and usually struggled to keep up with the stronger racers, which is exactly what motivated me to improve. At 16, I completed the Austrian Anwärter qualification, and I’ve taught at the same ski school for around 20-30 days every season since, working with children, adults and groups of all levels. I’ve kept training too, recently completing a level of the Austrian Landesskilehrer qualification. My focus has shifted from racing to becoming a versatile, technically strong skier and instructor. In my free time, I mostly ski on-piste, working on technique and exploring new runs, but I really love freeriding off-piste whenever fresh snow allows.

My best skiing memory is my first time at the Arlberg during a Ski Austria youth camp: a weekend at the Ski Austria Academy with a small group of Austrian skiers, training in formations, skiing off-piste, and even trying short skis. It was fun and varied- my first taste of the Arlberg, which made it especially memorable. I originally became an instructor to improve my own skiing, but now my favourite thing is sharing my favourite sport with others, especially kids.

In the summer, I play a lot of tennis and organise local tournaments, as well as hiking and playing the drums. One surprising fact about me: I’m also a certified Austrian paramedic and worked in emergency medical services for over a year.