Ford Grabs Career-Best GS in Val d’Isere
Tommy Ford (Bend, Ore.) posted a career-best result, finishing sixth in Saturday’s FIS Ski World Cup giant slalom in Val d’Isere, France. Ted Ligety (Park City, Utah) was 25th.
Ford came out firing on all cylinders in the first run, finishing 11th in the first run as moderate snow blanketed the course. In the second run, he put the pedal to the medal and was awarded with the green light to move into the lead with 10 racers remaining. He was fourth fastest on the second run. Ford’s previous career-best with eighth-place in giant slalom last season in Are, Sweden. He was 15th last weekend in the giant slalom at Beaver Creek, Colorado.
"It feels nice," Ford reflected after his second run. "Honestly, I skied well and I'm just working on the progression. I've been consistent from run to run, a little more consistent on my second run from turn to turn...some good solid skiing." Going into today, Ford took an approach he's been using that has brought him consistent results over the last year: "to stay calm and let the waves come, and stay grounded and stick with it," and that's what he'll do moving forward, as he takes this momentum into Alta Badia - one of his favorite tracks on the circuit.
A week after suffering a surprise defeat at Beaver Creek, Colorado, Austria’s Marcel Hirscher destroyed the field, posting a 1.18-second victory over Norway’s Henrik Kristoffersen, who found himself in a familiar place in second, followed by Sweden’s Matt Olsson in third. Saturday’s win was Hirscher’s 60th career World Cup victory, and he moved into the overall World Cup lead by 42 points over countryman Max Franz, who did not compete Saturday.
Up next, the men compete in slalom Sunday, in Val d’Isere.
RESULTS
Men’s giant slalom
HOW TO WATCH
All times EST
*Same-day delayed broadcast
Sunday, Dec. 9
12:30 a.m. - Women’s super-G, St. Moritz, SUI - NBCSN-TV**
3:15 a.m. - Men’s slalom, run 1 - Val d’Isere, FRA - OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
4:15 a.m. - Women’s parallel slalom qualifying, St. Moritz, SUI - OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
6:15 a.m. - Men’s slalom, run 2 - Val d’Isere, FRA - Olympic Channel-TV, OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
7:00 a.m. - Women’s parallel slalom, St. Moritz, SUI - OlympicChannel.com & NBC Sports Gold
7:30 a.m. - Women’s parallel slalom, St. Moritz, SUI - Olympic Channel-TV
5:00 p.m. - Women’s parallel slalom, St. Moritz, SUI - NBCSN-TV*
