Swiss women’s Alpine head coach Mauro Pini resigns

BERN, Switzerland (AP) — The Swiss ski federation says Mauro Pini has resigned as head coach of its women’s Alpine team.

Swiss skiers won only one of 37 World Cup events in a season that ended in turmoil.

Several racers were injured in January, and specialist speed coach Stefan Abplanalp was fired in February for a “lack of professionalism.” He reportedly argued with Pini at World Cup races in Sochi, Russia.

Pini says in a Swiss Ski statement that he leaves despite feeling he “still had big things to accomplish” with the team.

Pini was the private coach of Lara Gut when she won two silver medals as a 17-year-old skier at the 2009 world championships.

He then worked with the Swiss men’s team before getting the women’s coaching job.