Alexandra Meissnitzer on nature, courage, responsibility and her new role as a STUMMER Ambassador.

Alexandra Meissnitzer knows what it means to experience defining moments. As an elite athlete, she stood on World Cup podiums, raced at full speed for hundredths of a second and learned early on the meaning of focus, courage and responsibility. She later moved in front of the camera, becoming a familiar face of ORF sports coverage for many years while also presenting her own television programmes. Today, she has entered a new chapter in her life – one filled with exciting opportunities, a wealth of experience and a clear perspective on the issues that endure: nature, sustainability, personal responsibility and the question of how we can shape the future together.

As STUMMER’s new ambassador, Alexandra Meissnitzer wants to stand for exactly that: connection, awareness and the joy of making important issues accessible, relatable and easy to understand.

Alexandra, you have a deep connection with nature, and skiing is a sport that takes place outdoors. What does nature mean to you?

Nature is essential to me. As an elite athlete, it was a tremendous privilege to spend so much time outdoors, to experience the changing seasons and not have to train in a sports hall all the time. But that was not a conscious factor for me at first. Skiing was simply my great passion; there was nothing in the world I loved more. Apparently, at the age of five, I said: “I’m going to be a world champion skier.”

Today, nature is where I recharge and find a sense of calm. When things get intense, when life gets in the way or my mind is full, nature helps me more than anything. Simply stepping outside, walking a little, breathing and noticing the beauty around me again can change so much. After a while, you become calmer and see things differently.

Is there a moment in nature that has stayed with you in particular?

It is less a single moment than a feeling – the feeling that everything will be all right. That is what I find in nature. For me, it is often connected with trees. I live in Salzburg, where we have the beautiful Hellbrunn Park. It is my own little paradise.

I believe everyone needs places like that. Especially when you live in a city, it is important to have somewhere nearby that you can go in everyday life. It does not have to be a major hike or an extended break – just somewhere within easy reach. Sometimes an hour outdoors is enough. Or even just a few minutes.

What did elite sport teach you that still stays with you today?

So much. Elite sport shapes you profoundly because it has an intensity that is hard to imagine from the outside. Even as a child, you learn commitment, discipline, punctuality and how to be part of a team. It happens almost without you noticing, but it stays with you.

You also learn very early how to deal with pressure to perform. In skiing, the clock decides. You finish first, second or third – there is no room for debate. It is there in black and white. For me, that measurability also had something positive about it because it was transparent. You could show what you were capable of.

And I learned that success takes courage. You need a strategy, you have to make decisions, and you must be willing to take an unconventional route from time to time. If I had spent my entire life simply following other people’s tracks, I would never have won anything.

You say that we all have our own Olympic Games and World Championships – they simply look different for each of us. What do you mean by that?

In sport, those moments are very visible. You are at the start, everything is ready, everyone is watching – and then you have to deliver. But situations like that arise in everyone’s life. They might be important moments at work, matters close to your heart, decisions or periods when you need to be fully present.

There are moments that demand your complete focus – all of you, one hundred per cent. I believe you can prepare for moments like these. And when you have worked towards something for a long time, you are entitled to trust yourself when the moment arrives.

You have reinvented yourself several times – from elite sport to television, and now from ORF to a new role.

How do you approach change?

Change always means stepping outside your comfort zone. When I retired from elite sport at 33, many people warned me about the void that would follow. I remember thinking: it does not necessarily have to be that way. Of course, there are days when you feel lost. But when one chapter ends, another begins. The question is how I choose to shape that new chapter.

I never wanted to look back and say: my best years were in elite sport, up to the age of 33, and after that life was not really as exciting. That would be such a shame – and, above all, it simply is not true. I think it is an enormous privilege to be free to choose. To do something because you believe in it, not simply because you have to.

What makes you happy when there is nothing in your diary?

Spending time with people I love. Ideally combined with being outdoors: skiing, being in the mountains, going for a walk. And then enjoying a good meal afterwards. That combination makes me happy.

I also love running early in the morning – in summer, often as early as 5.30. Sometimes I have to push myself, of course, but as long as I can run, all is well. There is something very special about the energy of the early morning. The day still feels fresh and untouched.

How did your relationship with STUMMER begin?

Hannes Streif first became aware of me when I was working as an environmental ambassador for Saubermacher at the 2025 Alpine World Ski Championships in Saalbach-Hinterglemm. That sparked the idea of doing something together. When we met, we realised that we share similar values and that it could be a very good fit.

To me, STUMMER is a fascinating company. I found myself entering a field where I quickly realised how much there was that I had never known before. That is exactly what I find so interesting. If we have the opportunity to raise awareness together, we can also make a difference.

What impressed you most about STUMMER?

When I visited STUMMER and saw the fleet, I was genuinely fascinated. The modern vehicles, the technology, the intelligence behind them – it was incredibly impressive. We see refuse collection vehicles every day, but most of us have no idea how much development, precision and responsibility goes into them.

And then you are standing there and hear: this vehicle is going to Geneva, another to a different city, and the next to a completely different market. It gives you a real sense of how internationally connected STUMMER is. At the same time, the company remains very personal and down-to-earth. I really appreciate that combination.

What do you want to stand for as a STUMMER Ambassador?

Responsibility. And personal responsibility too. It is a crucial part of elite sport: you make decisions and live with the consequences. If you take an even greater risk at high speed, you might win or you might crash. But you know that the choice was yours.

The same is true of issues such as environmental protection, sustainability and conserving resources. There is a great deal of talk about them. What matters, however, are people and companies that take responsibility and then act accordingly. To me, STUMMER is one of those companies. It turns responsibility into action.

I believe I can help communicate these important issues – in an accessible, understandable way that connects with people. Perhaps I can help build that bridge.

What gives you confidence when you think about the future?

I believe in good people. Whenever I begin to doubt, I meet someone who makes me feel: look, we can do this. Hannes is one of those people.

When good people begin to connect more closely, it creates strength. The great ideas of younger people come together with the invaluable expertise of a more experienced generation. When we work together, we can make things happen.

And perhaps this is a little Austrian, but there is a phrase I really love: “It’ll work out. We’ll find a way.” Or, as we say in Austria, simply: “Passt schon.” It does not mean taking things lightly. It means having faith. It means saying: it may not be easy, but we can do it.

That fundamental sense of trust is what I wish for – for ourselves, for our society and for Europe. Because in the end, it begins with each one of us. Who is going to trust you if you do not trust yourself? My coach once said that to me. And I think there is a great deal of truth in it.