Nyman Finds Fast Line in Final Training Run
GARMISCH, GERMANY (Feb. 27, 2015) – In the final Garmisch (GAP) downhill training run on the Kandahar, Steven Nyman (Sundance, UT) led the charge for the Americans, turning in the fourth fastest time—0.75 seconds off leader Hannes Reichelt. The Kandahar track is known to be one of the most challenging tracks on the circuit and the weather can be unpredictable, as it was during Friday’s downhill training run. Officials caught wind of a front rolling in, moving the training run up an hour, allowing the weather to hold up for all 49 athletes before the predicted snowfall. The guys are now ready to tackle the track during the Audi FIS Ski World Cup on Saturday.
A slightly different set this year left some athletes questioning after the first downhill training run on Thursday, but the guys have dialed in their line and determined a plan of attack. All questions seem to have been answered after Friday’s training run and at least for Nyman, they have.
“I really like the course set today, because it isn’t so specific ‘you have to ski this line,’” Nyman noted, following his run. “It allows for a little more creativity. It’s a little more open, so the skiers can ski with their own style and still be in there.”
Marco Sullivan snags eighth in Friday's training run. (Getty Images/Agence Zoom-Alexis Boichard)
Marco Sullivan (Squaw Valley, CA) looked strong on Friday—especially on the flats—and turned in the eighth fastest run, 0.97 seconds off of Reichelt. That’ll be a confidence booster for Sully, going into Saturday's downhill. Travis Ganong (Squaw Valley, CA) finished 17th, and Andrew “Warhorse” Weibrecht (Lake Placid, NY) took the “dirty, aggressive, tight line,” according to Assistant Coach Chris Beckmann, on the top section of the course, which paid off for him, as he landed in 18th. Wiley Maple was 29th, and GAP newcomers—Bryce Bennett (Squaw Valley, CA) and Jared Goldberg (Holladay, UT)—are feeling good after getting two training runs under their belt.
Training runs are a time where the athletes are experimenting with their lines and dialing in equipment, so Nyman and the rest of the guys have more in them. Make sure to tune in to Universal Sports on Saturday at 1-2:30 p.m. EST for the men’s downhill.
QUOTES
Steve Nyman
I like this track. There’s a mix here with the old course, which I have a lot of history with, and the new course. We cut into the old course on the top and remain on it for a long time all the way to the Eishang, and then we get onto the new course on the bottom. The jump down here was pretty intimidating yesterday—a lot of guys missed the gate before the jump. Today a lot of the guys are nailing it and the flight’s better. The hill is developing in a good way, where the snow is nice and firm and you can do what you want on it. Obviously it’s dark and bumpy and icy, but that’s Garmisch and that’s what makes it cool. And it’s a two-minute course, so there’s some defeat there, but add the darkness and the bumps… and it’s a ride!
2015 has been my best year so far. Consistency-wise, it’s a goal of mine. I’m pretty proud of what I’ve been doing, but I’d like to get on the podium a couple more times. That would be a big accomplishment for me. I’d like to push for the title, but it’d be a miracle if I win the thing. But to be in the top three, that would be something really cool for me. It’s really tight in that zone, so if I perform at a high level the next three races, I could be in there.
RESULTS
Official results
