Alpine Skiing

[Brullnux]

Holy ****, svindal is injured, his season is over. WTF is wrong with alpine skiing this year

It was a spectacularly classic Kitzbühel, despite the lowered start gate. Sad to see so many riders crash; Svindal's double somersault was horrible to see, very worried for him at the time, then got up and walked away. Streitberger also, and Reichelt too. Svindal seems like a great guy and Reichelt I've always liked, with his cool and calm if unimpressive style of way, and Streitberger was always the or thereabouts, and now it's could well be career over at 35 with an ACL

Very happy for Fill, though, and weird to see none of the top seeds anywhere near the podium, like Jansrud, Paris and Theaux. Especially the first two, who are always good at Kitzbühel. I think the light conditions played a part.

Also interesting to see how different all ACL injuries are. When I did mine I could barely walk, and was helped off on one leg, then walked to the car where my parents took my home (I was 13 at the time), then hospital. It was only a partial tear, but hurt like ****. The patella fracture didn't help either. But Svindal walked off with a slight limp and in not too much discomfort, whereas Streitberger was airlifted away. It goes to show that it's impossible to truly tell after a bad crash even if you're walking away if you've injured your knee.

 

[Gigs_98]

Btw, yesterday Hirscher said in a TV interview that in the speed disciplines you have the advantage that its less likely to ski out, but also the disadvantage that injuries are more likely. Unfortunately this weekend already proved that his statement is very true.

Anyway, although things like this become extremely unimportant on days with so many horrible crashes, the point of departure for the world cup completely changed today. After I thought that Hirscher lost the world cup yesterday he now is the big favorite again. Nevertheless Kristoffersen is pretty close to him and has the better slalom shape and Jansrud could also become a threat if he gets last years shape again.

 

[Brullnux]

Jansrud will win most of the super-g and downhill races from now on in. Fill, Paris, Theaux, Fayed and Feuz (coming back from injury) will be the main contenders, along with Guay, Janka maybe Weibrecht and Innerhofer too. All of the Austrians are gone now, sadly.

 

[nowhereman]

After the carnage ended at the Streif the Austrian team lies in ruins, though Hannes Reichelt could be back in 2-3 weeks. George Streitberger saw his season end. Otmar Streidinger luckily flew across the finish line on his back with Air jacket blown up fully, but ended injury free and in 10th place for the day. Unfortunately, Aksel Lund Svindal wasn't as lucky, as the overall world cup leader saw his season end after a spectacular crash that tore his ACL. Unfortunately, Todays race was far too expensive a venture for many of the racers.

Otmar Streidinger 1st down the hill, in a couple of ways. Ended up 10th overall

Hannes Reichelt ended up in the nets, but will be back in a few weeks. though he got his bell rung, he's a lucky guy.

Svindal walked away from his spectacular encounter with the netting but he still sustained a season ending ACL tear

 

[nowhereman]

Meanwhile, a few racers did make it to the finish. Italian Peter Fill was the fastest to do so. Followed by Beat Feuz and Carlo Janka, both of Switzerland,

Fill flying headlong into the section that took so many racers out today

Beat Feuz 2nd, Peter Fill 1st, and Carlo Janka 3rd

 

[nowhereman]

Meanwhile in Beautiful Cortina D'ampezzo, Italy, Lindsey Vonn won her record tying 10th event there, and her 74th career victory (12 wins behind winningest ski racer ever, Ingemar Stenmark) in the DH. She came in ahead of Canadian Larisa Yurkiw and Swiss Lara Gut, and pulled within 10 points of Gut's lead for the overall cup. Gut had been in second, until Yurkiw flew down the course, capturing both leaders attention, and slotted into 2nd only 2 tenths of a second behind Lindsey. Tomorrow is a Super G for the women.

Lara Gut in the air

Larisa going for it

Vonn is happy

DH podium, Larisa Yurkiw, Lindsey Vonn, Lara Gut

 

[Gigs_98]

Re:

Jansrud will win most of the super-g and downhill races from now on in. Fill, Paris, Theaux, Fayed and Feuz (coming back from injury) will be the main contenders, along with Guay, Janka maybe Weibrecht and Innerhofer too. All of the Austrians are gone now, sadly.

Not sure about Jansrud. His last really speed race podium was the downhill in Gröden, where he got 3rd, after that his shape became worse and he has only one top 10 result which was a 4th place on Friday and ofc I also mustn't forget is excellent downhill in the wengen super combined. However last year this also was the part of the season in which his shape became worse and if that happens this year too I don't think he has a chance to win the world cup. He will probably win a few more races this season but I don't expect a sudden explosion of his shape.

Generally the whole situation right now reminds me on the 2008 season. Svindal had a great shape but crashed in Beaver Creek and was injured for the rest of the season. Raich completely dominated the rest of the first half of the season and everyone thought the fight for the world cup was already over because the only big rival of raich was gone. But then suddenly Bode Miller rose from the death and got back his 2005 shape to completely crush Raich and win the world cup even with a pretty big advantage. The question is, can anyone take Miller's role this year and suddenly get an extremely good shape or will this years Austrian WC contender win.

 

[Merckx index]

Re:

Meanwhile in Beautiful Cortina D'ampezzo, Italy, Lindsey Vonn won her record tying 10th event there, and her 74th career victory (12 wins behind winningest ski racer ever, Ingemar Stenmark) in the DH. She came in ahead of Canadian Larisa Yurkiw and Swiss Lara Gut, and pulled within 10 points of Gut's lead for the overall cup. Gut had been in second, until Yurkiw flew down the course, capturing both leaders attention, and slotted into 2nd only 2 tenths of a second behind Lindsey. Tomorrow is a Super G for the women.

Also Vonn's 37th downhill win, a new record. She broke the overall wins record for women last year.

 

[May0maniac]

Re: Re:

Jansrud will win most of the super-g and downhill races from now on in. Fill, Paris, Theaux, Fayed and Feuz (coming back from injury) will be the main contenders, along with Guay, Janka maybe Weibrecht and Innerhofer too. All of the Austrians are gone now, sadly.

Not sure about Jansrud. His last really speed race podium was the downhill in Gröden, where he got 3rd, after that his shape became worse and he has only one top 10 result which was a 4th place on Friday and ofc I also mustn't forget is excellent downhill in the wengen super combined. However last year this also was the part of the season in which his shape became worse and if that happens this year too I don't think he has a chance to win the world cup. He will probably win a few more races this season but I don't expect a sudden explosion of his shape.

Generally the whole situation right now reminds me on the 2008 season. Svindal had a great shape but crashed in Beaver Creek and was injured for the rest of the season. Raich completely dominated the rest of the first half of the season and everyone thought the fight for the world cup was already over because the only big rival of raich was gone. But then suddenly Bode Miller rose from the death and got back his 2005 shape to completely crush Raich and win the world cup even with a pretty big advantage. The question is, can anyone take Miller's role this year and suddenly get an extremely good shape or will this years Austrian WC contender win.

Yes, usually Jansrud is always flying at the start of the season and tends to fade a bit at the end of it, the same think happened to a lot of people who were in monster shape at the start of the season. It's funny, Miller did exactly the same thing that Raich did, he started rather slow, but was in monster shape durning the most important part of the season.
Hirscher on the other hand has his mutant peak that last for the whole season, so I don't see anyone beating him, even the drone stike failed.

 

[nowhereman]

The weekend in Kitzbuhel ended with a dramatic Victory for the young man from Norway who has taken 5 of the last 6 slaloms, Henrik Kristoffersen. Henrik came from 12th place in the first run to hold off a raging Marcel Hirscher who collapsed in the finish after seeing that he finished 3 one hundredths of a second behind Henrik! Then, the German Fritz Dopfer came down the rockin' and rollin' terrain, strewn with ice patches to round out the podium in third place. And as usual, the Ganslern course took it's high number of casualties, but luckily this time everyone walked away in one piece. Next stop Slalom in Schladming, Austria

Henrik, cutting and slashing his way down the course, All or Nothing!

Marcel gave it he had, and was satisfied when all was said and done.

German Fritz Dopfer couldn't muster the speed of his two competitors but had his best day so far this year

Marcel graciously congratulates the Victor as they line up for the trophy presentations

 

[nowhereman]

Oh, and BTW. Another record tumbled on Sunday in Cortina D'ampezzo. Lindsey took the Super G for her 11th victory at that venue, for the most wins in Cortina. Also it was her 75th career victory. And her 8th victory so far this year.

Tina, happy today, after feeling cheated in Saturdays DH because of the gusting winds.

Veronica Rebensberg of Germany rounded off the podium in 3rd for the day (picture shown here is not from Cortina, but I love her focus in this shot)

 

[Singer01]

this is just getting silly, what is the record for most slaloms won in a season?

 

[nowhereman]

Schladming, Austria. One of the most rockin' slalom races of the season! Over 50,000 fans were course side, waving flags, holding smoking flares and roaring every racer down the course! Last night was no exception, as Home Boy, Marcel Hirscher had a horrendous first run ending up 22nd , due to badly fogged goggles. Well, that set the stage for a most dramatic second run. Running in reverse order, the warm evening provided a bit of an advantage to the first racers down the course. 3 racers of the first 10 down, in the second run, were the fastest for that run. And Marcel Hirscher put up the best time but had 21 more racers to go before the end of the race. 19 racers later, young Henrik Kristoffersen of Norway came roaring down the course, and finally replaced Marcel in the top spot. then Alexander Khoroshilov slotted in just behind Hirscher. And then the leader of the first run, last one down the course, Felix Neuruether of Germany while keeping it within reach suddenly skied off the course. And Henrik Kristoffersen had his sixth slalom victory of the seven slaloms held so far this season. There are 4 more scheduled for this season. And he is one victory behind the record for slalom wins in one season. Which is a tie between three immortals: Stenmark , Girardelli and Tomba, all have 6 wins in a season (when 10 slaloms were on the schedule). Odds are pretty good that he will get the record if he continues to ski as he has been. As always Marcel Hirscher was graceful in defeat ( was second place really a "defeat"?), and provided a lot of excitement by setting the bar so high that only one other racer could beat him.

Victorious Henrik

Marcel made the night a nail biter!!

Alexander Khoroshilov rounded out the podium in third

Champion acknowledges a Champion! Marcel congratulates young Henrik

 

[nowhereman]

Hannes Reichelt has bounced back very rapidly from his tough spill in Kitzbuhel and was fastest in the first DH training run in Garmisch-Partenkirchen he finished ahead of Kjetil Jansrud and Alexander Kilde of Norway. Glad to see Hannes back at it so quickly after his fall which initially was reported to set him back a week or more.

 

[May0maniac]

And Ted is out with a torn ACL, this has to be one of the worst seasons that I've seen, probably the worst of the 21th century.

 

[nowhereman]

Re:

And Ted is out with a torn ACL, this has to be one of the worst seasons that I've seen, probably the worst of the 21th century.

Absolutely agree. Could this, in fact, be just what Ted has been talking about all along? Regarding the alleged safety that the FIS was trying to convince everybody they were talking about when they changed lengths and sidecuts on Speed Skis? I get a feeling it was a move backwards, away from safety. And now it's coming back to bite the racers in their backsides, as they press the limits trying to find new ways to squeeze more speed out of the equipment they are using. Maybe this outbreak of serious injuries will motivate the rules makers to re-think their positions, and rules.

 

[Gigs_98]

So it looks like The norwegians didn't need much time to find the next Skier who can Win downhills after svindal's injury.
Btw, my highlight of the day were the commentators on Austrian tv. Kline wouldnt even have been in the top 5 if the top athlethes hadnt made so many mistakes but the orf thought that its impossible anyone could still beat him although kline's race was anything but Perfect. So Hans knauß the cocommentator already left the commentators room to analyze the the winning run of kline before kilde even started. And even during kilde's run the remaining commentator didn't believe that kilde could win, even at the Last split time when kilde was only 3 tenths behind although almost everyone gained 4 tenths on kline in the Last sector. And it wasnt even suprising that kilde won considering that he was 3rd in the training and the slope fits perfectly to his skiing style.

 

[May0maniac]

So it looks like The norwegians didn't need much time to find the next Skier who can Win downhills after svindal's injury.
Btw, my highlight of the day were the commentators on Austrian tv. Kline wouldnt even have been in the top 5 if the top athlethes hadnt made so many mistakes but the orf thought that its impossible anyone could still beat him although kline's race was anything but Perfect. So Hans knauß the cocommentator already left the commentators room to analyze the the winning run of kline before kilde even started. And even during kilde's run the remaining commentator didn't believe that kilde could win, even at the Last split time when kilde was only 3 tenths behind although almost everyone gained 4 tenths on kline in the Last sector. And it wasnt even suprising that kilde won considering that he was 3rd in the training and the slope fits perfectly to his skiing style.

Let's just say that there's a reason why I'm usually watching Alpine Skiing on Swiss tv.

 

[nowhereman]

There's a right way, and a wrong way to attack a Downhill course. There are a variety of reasons why a racer might choose his particular strategy, just as there are a variety of reasons why that choice might spell absolute disaster on the journey from the start wand to the finish line. First let's review the wrong way.

Carlo Janka trying to cut down the gate as if he is in a slalom. I'd almost bet his eyes are closed at this moment too.

Adrien Theaux bashing the gate like he's racing GS, except that the speeds are Downhill speeds. Adjust line, yes. knocking gates down in DH, to adjust line...No.

Kjetil Jansrud trying to pretend that the gate is not really there. This strategy didn't work for him. In fact he's lucky that he made it to the finish line at all

 

[nowhereman]

Then there is the more correct way to approach the Downhill. These men got it right today. And Bostjan Kline almost took it all, on his first visit to the top ten. But Alexander Aamodt Kilde should not have been a surprise. not only did he practice well, he has already been on the podium for a Super G in Val Gardena this year. What was an unfortunate surprise was Hannes Reichelt blowing off course after having a great practice run earlier in the week. But it was good to see him back on course after his crash in Kitzbuhel last week.

Beat Feuz visits the podium for the second time in consecutive weeks

Slovenian Bostjan Kline almost took his first World Cup victory

Alexander Aamodt Kilde picked up the baton from a fallen Aksel Svindal and took the day from the 30th start position

The Garmisch podium. Kline waited 27 skiers 'til Kilde came down and snatched victory from him. But nobody on the podium looks unhappy. Tough day of racing. Showing that there might be "favorites" but it's all up to how well they execute their strategies, on course corrections , and all!

 

[BullsFan22]

Slovenians crushing the winter sports scene again. 1-2-3 in the Sapporo ski jumping. Ana Drev 2nd in the women's GS in Maribor, Bostjan Kline 2nd in Garmisch DH. Juniors getting medals, para-athletes winning medals...All this with barely 2 million people population!!

 

[nowhereman]

And BTW, the women had a great contest in Maribor Lindsey Vonn failed at the GS discipline once again, as she DQ'd on her second run. But Lara Gut squandered a perfect opportunity to gain unanswered points against Lindsey, and retake the overall lead when she skied out of the course herself in the second run! But one great part of the day is that Viktoria Rebensberg seems to have her Giant Slalom Mojo going again, and she is now on a roll again, and Ana Drev of Slovenia is having a very good season herself. just as Tina Weirather is mounting the podium more often, of late. All in All a good day for the women in Maribor

Lindsey out again in GS

Ana Drev 2nd in Maribor, just as Countryman Bostjan Kline was getting a 2nd place in the men's DH in Garmisch

Viktoria Rebensberg captures another GS. Really starting to regain her champion form again

Maribor GS podium Drev (2nd) Rebensberg (1st) Weirather (3rd)
Sorry, I couldn't get an action shot of Tina Weirather anywhere, apologies

 

[Gigs_98]

I'm already looking forward to the speed races in south Korea. I just hope it will be an interesting slope and actually I'm also expecting that because tu last two olympic slopes were also completely new but really difficult and interesting

 

[nowhereman]

Lara Sliced her way down the treacherously bumpy and slick Garmisch Super G course

Lindsey came down the course with a streak at stake and crossed the finish line .23 behind Lara

Then Victoria Rebensberg flew down the course and jumped into the slot between Lara and Lindsey to get 2nd place, only .1 behind Lara!

In the end, Lara broke Lindsey's streak of Super G wins, and moved to 87 points behind Lindsey in the race for the overall. And Victoria Rebensberg who is having a great year consolidated 3rd place overall, and is skiing great in the speed events

 

[nowhereman]

Welcome back Mikaela! After being sidelined by an injury that threatened the rest of this season. She went home, worked hard and came back yesterday in Crans Montana, SUI. And she reminded the world who the Best Slalom Skier in the World is. Like she never left! And that smile is still Sunshine. All we need now is for Anna Fenninger to return, and start winning again! But I think we are going to have to wait til next season for that.

Back in the groove right out of the start gate! Go Mikaela!

Nastassia Noens flys into 2nd on the day

Marie Michele Gagnon came in third, Travis Ganong is happy!

She's Baaaaaaaack!! Welcome back to the Cup and the top step on the podium!