On Tap This Weekend: Comebacks and Classics
WENGEN, Switzerland (Jan. 12, 2017) – This weekend, Altenmarkt-Zauchensee, Austria and Wengen, Switzerland welcome the first Audi FIS Ski World Cup speed series of the New Year for the women and the men. The biggest struggle will be with Mother Nature, with snow in the forecast in both locations.
The women will race a downhill and alpine combined this weekend in Altenmarkt-Zauchensee, while the men will take on Wengen for alpine combined, downhill and slalom. Fans can catch all of the action on Universal HD and NBCSN, and via live stream on nbcsports.com.
Wengen is a classic, and one of the best of the best … but let’s be honest: all eyes will be on Altenmarkt-Zauchensee, where Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) and Julia Mancuso (Squaw Valley, CA) will make their comebacks to World Cup action. Mancuso’s participation in Saturday’s downhill is still up in the air, but excitement abounds as both will click into their skis and out of the start gate for tomorrow’s first downhill training run.
“I have double and triple the amount of padding I normally have, and normally in downhill I don’t race with any padding on the arms,” said Vonn who is returning from her November injury. “It’s not going to be aerodynamic, but at least I’ll be protected somewhat. It’s a risk no matter how much padding I have on.”
Thursday’s downhill training run was canceled in Altenmarkt-Zauchensee when Mother Nature brought a ton of fresh powder. Of course, this meant that many of the American ladies – who love free skiing – enjoyed some powder skiing instead. Vonn participated in a press conference with her puppy, Lucy.
On the men’s side, they’ll dive into mighty Lauberhorn – the longest downhill track on the World Cup circuit. The track boasts a length of 4.48 km (2.78 miles), which results in run times of two and a half minutes and speeds upwards of 100mph. The Austrians – Matthias Mayer and Max Franz – as well as the Swiss men Beat Feuz and Carlo Janka, and the Italian Peter Fill all put in super solid training runs on Tuesday and Wednesday.
For the American Downhillers, Steven Nyman (Sundance, UT), Jared Goldberg (Holladay, UT) and Andrew Weibrecht (Lake Placid, NY) led the team in training, and look to carry this confidence into the weekend. David Chodounsky (Crested Butte, CO), who grabbed a season-best result at Adelboden with 12th, will look for some luck with the weather and lead an emerging group of American SLayers (get it?!) in Sunday’s slalom.
CONFIRMED STARTERS
Altenmarkt-Zauchensee - Women:
Stacey Cook (Mammoth Lakes, CA) – DH
Breezy Johnson (Victor, ID) – AC, DH
Julia Mancuso (Squaw Valley, CA) – DH (TBD)
Alice McKennis (New Castle, CO) – DH
Laurenne Ross (Bend, OR) – AC, DH
Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO) – AC
Leanne Smith (North Conway, NH) – DH
Jackie Wiles (Aurora, OR) – AC, DH
Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) – DH
Wengen, Switzerland – Men:
Michael Ankeny (Deephaven, MN) – SL
David Chodounsky (Crested Butte, CO) – GS, SL
Bryce Bennett (Squaw Valley, CA) – AC, DH
Tommy Biesemeyer (Keene, NY) – DH
Ryan Cochran-Siegle (Starksboro, VT) – AC
Mark Engel (Truckee, CA) – SL
Travis Ganong (Squaw Valley, CA) – DH
AJ Ginnis (Vouliagmeni, Greece) – SL
Jared Goldberg (Holladay, UT) – AC, DH
Robby Kelley (Starksboro, VT) – SL
Steve Nyman (Sundance, UT) – AC, DH
Hig Roberts (Steamboat Springs, CO) – SL
Andrew Weibrecht (Lake Placid, NY) – DH
QUOTES
Lindsay Vonn
I have double and triple the amount of padding I normally have, and normally in downhill I don’t race with any padding on the arms. It’s not going to be aerodynamic, but at least I’ll be protected somewhat. It’s a risk no matter how much padding I have on.
There are a number of reasons I came back so early. I came back because I want to race. I want to race as much as possible. And the more races I can get in before the World Championships is obviously the goal. I also think that the World Cup title is still a possibility in both downhill and super G.
[On Julia Mancuso returning to the World Cup circuit]
It’s nice to have the whole team back together again. Last year without her, it definitely felt a little bit like there was a hole in the team, so it’s nice to have her back.
BROADCAST AND LIVE STREAMING (times EST)
All events streaming at www.nbcsports.com/live
Friday, Jan. 13
4:30 a.m. – Men’s combined slalom, Wengen – nbcsports.com – LIVE STREAM
6:00 a.m. – Women's downhill training, Altenmarkt – nbcsports.com – LIVE STREAM
8:00 a.m. – Men’s combined downhill, Wengen – nbcsports.com – LIVE STREAM
5:30 p.m. – Men's alpine combined – Universal HD
Saturday, Jan. 14
4:30 a.m. – Women’s downhill, Altenmarkt – nbcsports.com - LIVE STREAM
6:30 a.m. – Men’s downhill, Wengen – nbcsports.com – LIVE STREAM
6:30 a.m. – Men's downhill, Wengen – LIVE BROADCAST Universal HD
5:30 p.m. – Women's downhill, Altenmarkt – Universal HD
8:30 p.m. – Men’s downhill, Wengen – NBCSN
Sunday, Jan. 15
3:30 a.m. – Women’s combined super G, Altenmarkt – nbcsports.com - LIVE STREAM
4:30 a.m. – Men’s slalom run 1, Wengen – nbcsports.com – LIVE STREAM
6:15 a.m. – Women’s combined slalom, Altenmarkt – nbcsports.com – LIVE STREAM
7:30 a.m. – Men’s slalom, run 2, Wengen – nbcsports.com – LIVE STREAM
6:30 a.m. – Men's slalom, Wengen – Universal HD
7:30 p.m. – Women’s alpine combined, Altenmarkt – Universal HD
Live streaming available on NBCsports.com/Live and the NBC Sports app, which is available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play, Windows Store, Roku Channel Store, Apple TV and Amazon Fire.