Kitzbuehel: The Super Bowl of Ski Racing
KITZBUEHEL, Austria (Jan. 21, 2016) – Ski racing is alive and well in Tyrol, and the Streif feels like the center of the universe this week. To put into perspective just how big this race is, nearly 50,000 crazed fans will descend upon the ski racing Mecca that is Kitzbuehel. The crowd for Thursday’s second downhill training run was bigger than the race day crowd at most venues. Media is buzzing. American pop music is blaring over the loudspeaker along with Hhner's Viva Colonia. The glhwein is flowing. Legends like Didier Cuche, Marco Buechel, Daron Rahlves and Bode Miller are amongst us. It's like Oktoberfest on a mountain. Welcome to Kitzbuehel, where the Hahnenkamm downhill is akin to the Super Bowl of ski racing.
Andrew Weibrecht finds speed and a good view during the training run of the men's downhill Thursday. (Getty/AFP-Robert Jaeger)
The energy surrounding the Hahnenkamm downhill here in Kitzbuehel can be overwhelming. The streets are ablaze with fans hungry for on-hill action—the speed on the Streif, the crashes, the thrilling victories—and aprs ski fun alike. Through it all, the athletes work to absorb the good energy and let the adrenaline fuel them through the weekend.
The men will take on the Streif this weekend in super G, alpine combined, downhill and slalom events. For the men, Steven Nyman (Sundance, UT) was fourth fastest Thursday with Travis Ganong (Squaw Valley, CA) sixth on Tuesday. However, from Ted Ligety’s (Park City, UT) participation in the inaugural Audi Quattro #SuperQ event against competitors Henrik Kristoffersen of Norway, Marcel Hirscher of Austria and Felix Neureuther of Germany, to dodgeball and volleyball games with the American downhillers, the week has already been action-packed for the Americans.
Jared Goldberg looks for speed during Thursday's downhill training. (Getty/Agence Zoom-Christophe Pallot)
While the American downhillers stepped it up for the second training run Thursday—skiing fast and feeling confident—perhaps the biggest surprise in today’s training run was Italy’s Mattia Casse, who skyrocketed from bib 47 to win today’s training run by .34 seconds ahead of teammate Christof Innerhofer and France’s Adrien Theaux, 1.03 seconds out.
Meanwhile, in Cortina, the women race a downhill and super G. Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO), now just 50 points behind Switzerland’s Lara Gut in the overall, has an opportunity to re-take the lead and break the current downhill win record of 36 victories with a downhill win Saturday. In the first training run Thursday, Vonn had the fastest time with Jackie Wiles (Aurora, OR) second and Alice McKennis (Glenwood Springs, CO) 11th. The women then race super G on Sunday.
Also, make sure to tune into Outside TV tonight to watch In Search of Speed. Get an in-depth look at the U.S. Ski Team’s top skiers and daily sacrifices they must endure to remain at the pinnacle of their sport. The show premieres Thursday, Jan. 21 at 9 p.m. EST. More details at http://outsidetelevision.com/find-us
Kitzbuehel (SG, AC, DH, SL) Starters
Michael Ankeny – SL
Bryce Bennett – SG, AC, DH
Thomas Biesemeyer – SG, AC
David Chodounsky – SL
Drew Duffy – SG, AC
Mark Engel – SL
Tommy Ford – SG
Travis Ganong – SG, DH
Jared Goldberg – SG, AC, DH
Tim Jitloff – SG, AC
Robby Kelley – SL
Tim Kelley – SL
Ted Ligety – SG, AC, SL
Wiley Maple – SG, DH
Steven Nyman – SG, DH
Marco Sullivan – SG, DH
Andrew Weibrecht – SG, DH
Cortina (DH, SG) Starters
Stacey Cook – DH, SG
Abby Ghent – DH, SG*
Breezy Johnson – DH, SG
Anna Marno – DH, SG*
Alice McKennis – DH, SG
Alice Merryweather – DH, SG*
Laurenne Ross – DH, SG
Lindsey Vonn – DH, SG
Jackie Wiles – DH, SG
*TBD, will be decided after second downhill training run.
QUOTES
Steven Nyman
[On today’s training run]
First training run I got flagged, so had a good six-minute hold on the course, but I got to ski the bottom with fresher legs, but I messed up the Hausberg. So today, that was a focus of mine and I did pretty well there. I messed up right above it, and got sucked into the soft snow, so I have some stuff to fix there. On the top of the Steilhang I was a little early and had to grind below, so if I clean that up I can take more speed onto the road and do pretty well. Today, for the most part, I was really happy with the way I skied, and stepped up, and I have to maintain the focus through the super G. I know I can do well here—it’s usually a fast set, which is more my style of super G—and then bring it into the downhill on Saturday.
[On the conditions of the Streif]
The conditions are fantastic. It’s a good course and there’s a lot of risk. They’ve put in the risky sections, but it’s not too dangerous for the athletes. The most dangerous part is the Hausberg and it’s pretty rough coming into there if you take the outside line, so it’s kind of forcing us to the inside which is very intimidating to the racer…to take that takes some guts so you have to really get your hips up and over your skis if you want to stay stable and be fast across the Hausberg. For the most part, it’s really fun to ski, as always.
[On having Daron Rahlves in the finish]
He’s good. Obviously he’s won here and has great knowledge of the course, so he’s super-fired up. I’m surprised he still comes here and foreruns. He was a great coach when I got down to the bottom. He told me where I messed up in sections I hadn’t remembered. It’s great having him, and when he foreruns he radios up and hypes us up and gives us good feedback.
Lindsey Vonn
[On today’s training run]
I thought it was a good run, but I wasn’t trying very hard. I was mostly just relaxed skiing, but I think the last few races I’ve skied my best when I’m more relaxed. It was a good first run, and good snow.
[On why Cortina is so special]
I had my first podium here, and last year was amazing to break the record here. I just have really good memories. I like the track. It’s like Lake Louise - it’s one of my favorites on the whole tour. I’m happy to be back.
[On the Cortina track]
It’s pretty similar (to year’s past). I think on the top the terrain is definitely more dramatic, because there’s not as much snow. It seems to be a little bit steeper and the speeds are higher. The course is in amazing shape, as always. It’s super-smooth.
[On reaching 37 downhill victories and breaking the current win record]
It was amazing to tie Annemarie Moser-Prll in Zauchensee, and last year I broke the record here, so hopefully this year I can break another record here. Cortina is just a special place for me, I have a lot of confidence and I’m skiing well so I hope to do well this weekend.
[On the overall]
My goal is to win. If I can continue to win in speed events, then that’ll put me in a good position. It’s not about making mistakes or protecting anything. You can’t ski like that. You have to ski to win, and that’s what I’m trying to do every day. Sometimes it’s working and sometimes it’s not. I’d say most of the time in speed this season it’s been working well.
Broadcast and Live Streaming (times EST)
Friday, Jan. 22
5:30 a.m. - Men's combined super G, Kitzbuehel - LIVE - NBC Sports Live Extra
10:00 a.m. - Men's combined slalom, Kitzbuehel - Live - NBC Sports Live Extra
2:00 p.m. - Men's alpine combined, Kitzbuehel - Universal HD
Saturday, Jan. 23
4:15 a.m. - Women's downhill, Cortina - LIVE - NBC Sports Live Extra
5:30 a.m. - Men's downhill, Kitzbuehel - LIVE - NBCSN
7:30 a.m. - Men's downhill, Wengen - RE-AIR - Universal HD
9:00 a.m. - Men's downhill, Kitzbuehel - RE-AIR - Universal HD
2:00 p.m. - Women's downhill, Wengen - Universal HD
Sunday, Jan. 24
4:30 a.m. - Men's SL1, Kitzbuehel - LIVE - NBC Sports Live Extra
5:30 a.m. - Women's super G, Cortina - LIVE - NBC Sports Live Extra
7:30 a.m. - Men's SL2, Kitzbuehel - LIVE - NBC Sports Live Extra
2:00 p.m. - Women's super G, Cortina - Universal HD
3:30 p.m. - Men's slalom, Kitzbuehel - Universal HD
RESULTS
Men’s downhill training 1
Men’s downhill training 2
Women’s downhill training 1
