Alpine Skiing 2016 - 2017 Discussion Thread

[hckošice 15,752]

Slovenia's Bostjan Kline grabs first career win in Kvitfjell

 

After the World Championships in St. Moritz, the men’s World Cup Tour moved North to Kvitfjell (NOR) for the two downhills and a super-g. Today Friday 24th of February, was the day of the replacement race from Lake Louise (CAN), and the first of two downhills took place on the Olympiabakken.

It was an historical day for Slovenia, as Bostjan Kline took home his first ever World Cup win. The 26 years old racer from Maribor showed great performances last year, with two second places, and he definitely was on the “one-to-watch” list. However, Kline had some struggles to be claim top positions this season, so this win comes as a relief for him and the Slovenian team.

"It feels good. The whole season I knew that I can ski good, that I can ski fast. You know, I just had to be patient and today, everything came together with the skiing, the start routine, warmup and everything. It was ups and downs during this season. Hot and cold. There were things that were really good but I had some mistakes in my runs but now it was good."

Olympic Champion Matthias Mayer had good results in Super-G, with a win in Kitzbuehel, but some doubts prevented him to take that final step to the podium in downhill so far.

"I really needed the time in downhill to give everything, to risk everything. If you don't do that, you can't be on the podium. I'm very happy about my run today because it feels great to be back with these guys, to be one of the fastest here."

Local hero Kjetil Jansrud was weakened by a bronchitis at the World Championships two weeks ago, but he came back in a great shape, claiming third place and taking over the red bib of the downhill standings leader.

"It felt good. It's home field advantage so you kind of wanna win, but today was a tight race and third place is good and that makes it even better when you look at the overall (downhill title) and I grab the red jersey back, which is always a good thing even though it's still very tight between Fill and I, it's a good start to the week. I feel much better, the biggest thing is I had bronchitis in the World Champs. Now that's way better, now I don't have any problems."

Tomorrow, another downhill race will take place in Kvitfjell, starting at 12.00 CET. It may be a decisive race for the cup standings, as it’s the penultimate race of the season. Jansrud is in the lead, ahead of Italy’s Peter Fill (13 points behind) and Dominik Paris (65 points back).

 

 

Full Results Here

 

Bostjan Kline

 

[hckošice 15,752]

Brignone wins career first combined in Crans-Montana

 

The first of two alpine combined races for the ladies at Crans-Montana, Switzerland, got off to a rocky start on Friday morning with the first three athletes – Ilka Stuhec, Tessa Worley, and Denise Feierabend – all skiing off the super-G course at the same early jump. The jury decided to lower the super-G run to the reserve start and restart the field from the beginning.

 

With the new start, the Slovenian Stuhec was able to post the fastest super-G run, 0.52 seconds ahead of Federica Brignone of Italy. Austria's Michaela Kirchgasser was a closer third, 0.69 seconds off the leading pace. 

 

The race was rescheduled from a cancellation in Zauchensee, Austria, in January. Light drizzle in the early hours cleared before single snowflakes fell in the finish area at race time. Americans Lindsey Vonn, Mikaela Shiffrin, and Laurenne Ross chose not to start the race, citing safety concerns over course conditions. Feierabend also missed the restart as she was taken to the hospital to evaluate a possible knee injury.

 

In the slalom, Kirchgasser was the first of the trio to see the green light at the finish. But Brignone produced an impeccable slalom run (third fastest) to surpass the Austrian. Stuhec did her best to make it down the slalom set, but she ultimately finished in second place, 1.01 seconds from Brignone. Kirchgasser rounded out the podium 1.16 seconds back. 

 

"I was really surprised,” said Brignone. “It was not easy. The slalom was really steep and bumpy, but I just tried to attack the slalom and not be attacked from the slalom. I tried to follow the rhythm and stay on the line, but then I didn’t think I would be fast, but then I was.”

Current alpine combined standings leader Stuhec said it's still too early to talk about the season title.

 

"I’m feeling a bit tired actually. It’s been quite a long day, but it’s always nice to stand on the podium. We still have one more race to go, and then we can talk about the globe.”

 

“[Alpine combined] is pretty cool because ... between speed skiing and technical skiing, it’s really awesome because you really have to change all of it between runs,” Kirchgasser said. “You have to change not only just the skis, but also have to change the boots and also the skiing.”

 

The ladies contest a super-G on Saturday starting at 10:30 CET.

 

 

Full Results Here

 

Federica Brignone

1st Run

 

Federica Brignone

2nd Run

[heywoodu 16,132]

Goggia falls. Vonn falls. Water is wet. Snow is cold. 

[mihamiha 124]

ilka once more

[mihamiha 124]

Super G results:              
 1. I. ŠTUHEC          SLO    1:21,78
 2. E. CURTONI         ITA      +0,50
 3. S. VENIER          AVT       1,09
 4. T. WEIRATHER       LIE       1,26
 5. F. BRIGNONE        ITA       1,35
 6. K. KLING           ŠVE       1,36
 7. E. GÖRGL           AVT       1,39
 8. N. SCHMIDHOFER     AVT       1,75
 9. R. MOWINCKEL       NOR       1,76
10. T. GAUTHIER        FRA       2,00
11. T. WORLEY          FRA       2,01
12. M. M. GAGNON       KAN       2,02
13. M. SHIFFRIN        ZDA       2,11
14. C. SUTER           ŠVI       2,22
15. M. T. TVIBERG      NOR       2,40
...                                  
                                     
world cup 28/37):        
  1. M. SHIFFRIN         ZDA     1.223
  2. L. GUT              ŠVI     1.023
  3. I. ŠTUHEC           SLO       965
  4. S. GOGGIA           ITA       789
  5. T. WORLEY           FRA       736
  6. T. WEIRATHER        LIE       640
  7. W. HOLDENER         ŠVI       592
  8. V. VELEZ ZUZULOVA   SLK       515
  9. F. BRIGNONE         ITA       514
 10. N. LOESETH          NOR       499
 
                                      
SuperG standings (5/7):               
 1. T. WEIRATHER         LIE       306
 2. L. GUT               ŠVI       300
 3. I. ŠTUHEC            SLO       290
 4. S. VENIER            AVT       225
 5. E. CURTONI           ITA       219
 6. N. SCHMIDHOFER       AVT       158
 7. K. KLING             ŠVE       151
 8. S. GOGGIA            ITA       140
 9. T. WORLEY            FRA       138
10. F. BRIGNONE          ITA       112

[hckošice 15,752]

Stuhec adds another SG to winning record

 

Ilka Stuhec added a second super-G victory to her season record under crystal blue skies in Crans-Montana, Switzerland, on Saturday. She claimed the convincing win 0.50 seconds ahead of Italian Elena Curtoni and 1.09 seconds faster than Stephanie Venier of Austria, who filled out the podium in second and third, respectively.

 

Stuhec led the super-G portion of Friday's alpine combined before ultimately finishing in second. On Saturday, she held on for the win.   

“The set was a bit turnier [than Friday] I would say,” Stuhec noted. “The speed was lower, so I guess they tried to make it a bit safer. But there were still some key points where you had to do what you had to do to maintain the speed and to carry it all the way down. I guess I did that pretty well.”

 

Curtoni, meanwhile, was pleased to pick up her second super-G podium of the season and career best finish. 

 

"Snow is pretty challenging,” Curtoni said. “It’s slidy and salty, but I like this kind of snow and these conditions. I always felt good on it, so I’m OK.”

 

It was a day of seconds for the leaders as Venier grabbed the second super-G podium finish of her career. 

 

“I’m happy with the result, but I think my run was not so good,” she confessed. “There were too many mistakes, but I’m happy with the podium today.”

 

With her fourth-place finish, Tina Weirather of Liechtenstein assumed the lead in the super-G standings, surpassing an injured Lara Gut by six points. There are two super-G races left to be contested this season on the ladies' tour.

 

The ladies race an alpine combined at Crans-Montana on Sunday to close out the series. 

 

 

 

Full Results Here

 

Ilka Stuhec

[hckošice 15,752]

Jansrud wins in front of home crowd at Kvitfjell

 

 

The traditional Kvitfjell downhill could take place from the very top today, and unlike in the last 20 years, a Norwegian topped the podium and claimed the win, as Kjetil Jansrud was the fastest, followed by Peter Fill in second and Beat Feuz in third.

There have been many Norwegian wins in Kvitfjell in the past year, seven in the past six years to be precise, but none of them was on the original downhill Saturday since Lasse Kjus’ win in 1997. After taking over the red leader bib of the discipline yesterday thanks to his third place, local hero Kjetil Jansrud proved to be in an excellent shape and was unbeatable on the Olympiabakken track today.

"I know this hill very well. It's not just home because it's in Norway, it's home because I grew up here so it's a big thing and I think the last time (a Norwegian) won on a Saturday here was Lasse (Kjus) twenty years ago, so this is a big Norwegian day. It's amazing and probably one of my biggest wins. I even won my first World Cup race here so there are a lot of good memories in Kvitfjell. Magnificent day and also grabbing a bigger lead in the red jersey, thirty three points means that if Fill wins in Aspen and I'm third then it's all gone, so it it's going to be exciting."

Jansrud’s main only contender for the downhill globe ranked second today, only +0.08 off the pace. It’s Italy’s Peter Fill, winner of the 2015/16 discipline ranking. Very constant with three second place and one third place this season, the South Tyrolean is ready for the final decision in Aspen.

"Yesterday I made a big mistake and lost the speed on the top and then it was difficult to go fast but today was a good run and all together everything worked good and I'm really happy with my second place. Now I am close to Jansrud for the big fight for the globe in Aspen. I have only one goal: to beat him there so let us see what's going to happen. I know what I need to do, full attack and when I have luck, maybe I can re-win the globe."

In third place, the World Champion from St. Moritz could lay down a strong run and grab his second podium of the regular World Cup season. The Swiss ski talent is too far back to claim the downhill globe (168 points with one race to go), but his performance could be decisive in the tight battle between Jansrud and Fill. Whatever happens in Aspen, Feuz can look back on another very successful season.

“We started from the very top today, this is definitively an advantage for me. Unfortunately I was not very good in the lower part and made a mistake in the last section, but in general it was a very good run. It has been a great season for me, especially the World Champion title in front of my home crowd was amazing, I had some struggles early season in the World Cup, but then with the podium in Garmisch-Partenkirchen, and now also in Kvitfjell, I’m satisfied of my season.”

 

 

Full Results Here

 

Kjetil Jansrud

 

[dcro 10,210]

Do these people know how to set a super-g course

[dcro 10,210]

Nina Ortlieb falls after two gates hard. She is up on her feet quite quickly but there is a visible patch of blood on the snow. :/

[dcro 10,210]

Popović once again in top 30 after super-g.

 

EDIT: In the end there are only 30 finishers. @hckosice Kantorova will open the slalom later.

Edited February 26, 2017 by dcro