Women's Alpine in Crans-Montana; Men's Tech in Yuzawa Naeba
The Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team heads to Crans-Montana, Switzerland for the women's speed crew and Yuzawa Naeba, Japan for the mens' tech team this weekend.
The women will tackle a rescheduled downhill from Rosa Khutor (Sochi), Russia, along with another downhill and an alpine combined at the Swiss venue, which appears to be in the best shape it's been in years. Breezy Johnson and Alice McKennis will lead the way for the women on a track that's flowy and "totally sendable," as Head Women's Speed Coach Chip White said in Thursday evening's team meeting. "It's not like Garmisch glass or Bansko rattle," he continued. "We've had one training run and you realize that now. Game time to send it. This is a downhiller's downhill."
That said, there's some weather coming in that could affect Friday's downhill, but Chip made sure to remind the women that Mother Nature is outside of our control. "Regardless of what Mother Nature sends us, we have to send it," he added. Conditions are better than ever, and though the women's speed team has struggled to find their groove this season with many athletes returning from significant injuries, with two downhills this weekend is a big opportunity for the women to make a statement.
On the men's side, the tech athletes return to Yuzawa Naeba for the first time since 2016, and though conditions are not ideal, the men's giant slalom and slalom skiers will look to make their mark, led by Olympic champion Ted Ligety and 2019 Birds of Prey victor Tommy Ford. Ryan Cochran-Siegle, who has had his best career season, will also look to throw it in there.
Despite sitting the last five races out (one downhill, two super-Gs, a giant slalom, and a slalom), Mikaela continues to hold the lead in the overall standings, by 113 points over Italy’s Federica Brignone (who was in 25th after the first run, but DNFed second run of Sunday's slalom) and 154 points ahead of Petra Vlhova. In the slalom standings, Petra has now surpassed Mikaela by 20 points, with 460 points, followed by Mikaela with 440. In hopes of grabbing some valuable points towards the overall chase, both Federica and Petra will start in this weekend's races. At this point, the current overall leader Mikaela's return to Europe and return to competition is unknown.
Check out how and who to watch below.
MEN’S STARTERS
Ryan Cochran-Siegle
Tommy Ford
Ted Ligety
River Radamus
Luke Winters
WOMEN’S STARTERS
Breezy Johnson
Alice McKennis
Alice Merryweather
Jackie Wiles
RESULTS
Women’s Downhill Training Run
START LISTS
Women’s Downhill
HOW TO WATCH
All times EST
Friday, Feb. 21
4:00 a.m. - Women’s downhill, Crans-Montana, SUI - Olympic Channel, Olympic Channel.com, NBC Sports Gold
7:45 p.m. - Men’s giant slalom run 1, Yuzawa Naeba, JPN - Olympic Channel.com, NBC Sports Gold
11:00 p.m. - Men’s giant slalom run 2, Yuzawa Naeba, JPN - Olympic Channel, Olympic Channel.com, NBC Sports Gold
Saturday, Feb. 22
4:30 a.m. - Women’s downhill, Crans-Montana, SUI - Olympic Channel, Olympic Channel.com, NBC Sports Gold
7:45 p.m. - Men’s slalom run 1, Yuzawa Naeba, JPN - Olympic Channel.com, NBC Sports Gold
11:00 p.m. - Men’s slalom run 2, Yuzawa Naeba, JPN - Olympic Channel, Olympic Channel.com, NBC Sports Gold
Sunday, Feb. 23
12:30 a.m. - Women’s downhill, Crans-Montana, SUI - NBCSN*
4:15 a.m. - Women’s combined super-G, Crans-Montana, SUI - Olympic Channel.com, NBC Sports Gold
7:30 a.m. - Women’s combined slalom, Crans-Montana, SUI- Olympic Channel, Olympic Channel.com, NBC Sports Gold
Monday, Feb. 24
1:00 a.m. - Women’s combined, Crans-Montana, SUI - NBCSN*
*Next-day broadcast
Note: All televised events to stream across NBCSports.com, NBC Sports app, OlympicChannel.com, and Olympic Channel: Home of Team USA app.
Exclusive commercial-free coverage will be available for subscribers of the NBC Sports Gold Pass, available here: https://www.nbcsports.com/gold/snow.
