Standing on the shoulders of giants

Marco Buechel grabs points-per-population lead for Liechtenstein.

Liechtenstein, a tiny financial and fiscal paradise with only 35300 inhabitants right in the middle of Europe, is the first leader in the 2009 points-per-population stakes, thanks to Marco Buechel scoring GSN points both in the downhill and the super G at the World Alpine Skiing Championships in France. It’s a first for the German-speaking principality, which did not score GSN points in 2008.

January overall table leaders Austria and Switzerland follow behind Liechtenstein in this special ranking. This is somewhat fitting, as the 39 year old veteran with 4 career wins in Alpine Skiing World Cup races, was in fact born in the Swiss town of Walenstadt and has trained both with the Austrian and Swiss ski teams.