Americans Edged Out by Eventual Winner Norway in Team Event
Finally, the sun came out at Lenzerheide, Switzerland, and FIS Ski World Cup Finals action kicked off with Friday's team event. Paula Moltzan, Nina O'Brien, River Radamus, and Ben Ritchie represented the Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team.
For a moment, it felt like Groundhog Day, as the U.S. was up against powerhouse Norway in the first heat—the same scenario the Americans faced at World Championships in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy. Norway won by a small margin and eventually went on to win gold in Cortina. On Friday at Finals, the Americans took on Norway in the first heat, losing by a small margin yet again. Norway would move on not only to the 1/2 Final but eventually went on to win it all and snag yet another team event victory. Germany was second, while the Austrians rounded out the podium in third. The Americans ended up in seventh.
Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team Alpine Director Jesse Hunt is optimistic about the future for the Americans in this event. ".05 away from knocking out the first-place team," he said. "We are closing in on a breakthrough in the team event."
Up next is the women's slalom and men's giant slalom on Saturday. Two-time Olympic champion and six-time world champion Mikaela Shiffrin and Paula Moltzan will be starting for the Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team. Heading into Saturday's slalom, Shiffrin (575 points) is ranked third behind Slovakian rival Petra Vlhova (612) and Austrian Katharina Liensberger (590). 2017 NCAA slalom champion Moltzan is ranked 11th in the world coming into World Cup Finals on Saturday.
Tommy Ford, who suffered from an injury after a horrific crash in Adelboden, Switzerland, qualified for World Cup Finals, ranked 10th in the world in giant slalom. Radamus, who ended up ranked 28th in the world, just missed qualification for World Cup Finals, which is the top 25 athletes in each discipline.
It'll be a fight literally to the finish line for the small globes on Saturday, so make sure to tune in!
RESULTS
Mixed team parallel
SLALOM STANDINGS
Women
GS STANDINGS
Men
HOW TO WATCH
*All times EDT.
Friday, March 19
9:00p.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Finals Team Event - same-day broadcast, Lenzerheide, SUI, Broadcast NBCSN
Saturday, March 20
4:00 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Finals Men’s Giant Slalom, Run 1 - LIVE, Lenzerheide, SUI, Streaming Peacock
5:30 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Finals Women’s Slalom, Run 1 - LIVE, Lenzerheide, SUI, Streaming Peacock
7:00 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Finals Men’s Giant Slalom, Run 2 - LIVE, Lenzerheide, SUI, Broadcast Olympic Channel & Streaming Peacock
8:30 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Finals Women’s Slalom, Run 2 - LIVE, Lenzerheide, SUI, Broadcast Olympic Channel & Streaming Peacock
Sunday, March 21
1:30 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Finals Women’s Slalom - next-day broadcast, Lenzerheide, SUI, Broadcast NBCSN
4:00 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Finals Women’s Giant Slalom, Run 1 - LIVE, Lenzerheide, SUI, Streaming Peacock
5:30 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Finals Men’s Slalom, Run 1 - LIVE, Lenzerheide, SUI, Streaming Peacock
7:00 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Finals Women’s Giant Slalom, Run 2 - LIVE, Lenzerheide, SUI, Broadcast Olympic Channel & Streaming Peacock
8:30 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Finals Men’s Slalom, Run 2 - LIVE, Lenzerheide, SUI, Broadcast Olympic Channel & Streaming Peacock
1:30 p.m. FIS World Cup Finals Women’s Slalom, next-day broadcast, Lenzerheide, SUI, Broadcast NBC
Monday, March 22
12:00 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Finals Women’s Giant Slalom, next-day broadcast, Lenzerheide, SUI, Broadcast NBCSN
1:00 a.m. FIS Alpine World Cup Finals Men’s Slalom, next-day broadcast, Lenzerheide, SUI, Broadcast NBCSN
