Young Guns Charge Lake Louise Training

LAKE LOUISE, AB (Dec. 5) – U.S. Ski Team athletes fine-tuned their lines on the legendary Lake Louise women’s downhill in preparation for the Audi FIS Alpine World Cup downhill double-header this weekend. U.S. Ski Team rookie Jackie Wiles (Aurora, OR) and Julia Ford (Plymouth, NH) charged from the back of the pack to lead for the USA, tying for ninth place. Olympic gold medalist Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) chose to skip Thursday’s training to rest before her first downhill race since she won in Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy on Jan. 19 of last winter. Friday’s race will be broadcast live on Universal Sports Network at 12:30 p.m. MST.

HIGHLIGHTS

• U.S. Ski Team athletes fine-tuned their lines on the legendary Lake Louise women’s downhill in preparation for the Audi FIS Alpine World Cup downhill double-header this weekend.
• Rookie Jackie Wiles (Aurora, OR) and Julia Ford (Plymouth, NH) charged from the back of the pack to lead for the USA, tying for ninth place. This will be Wiles’ second-ever World Cup race.
• Fellow speed team members Stacey Cook (Mammoth Mountain, CA), Laurenne Ross (Bend, OR) and Leanne Smith (North Conway, NH) finished 16th, 18th and 20th respectively.
• Olympic gold medalist Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) chose to skip Thursday’s training to rest up for her first downhill race since Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy Jan. 19, where she won.
• Friday will also be Vonn’s first World Cup race since Jan. 27 in Maribor, Slovenia.
• A year ago Vonn and Cook went back-to-back 1-2 in Lake Louise downhill races.
• Friday’s race will be broadcast live on Universal Sports Network at 12:30 p.m. MST.

QUOTES         
Julia Ford
I changed skis. I had some issues yesterday and today I went with a longer pair that works a lot better. It was more just being committed to that line and standing in a good position. This course is really smooth, but there are some ripples in places so if you’re standing in a good position you don’t get bounced around as much. 

I was hoping to feel the speed today because I was pretty slow yesterday. It’s really nice and promising, but it is only a training run. It’s good to know that you’re doing something right out there. Tomorrow I just want to bring out my fastest skiing, tuck in some more areas and bring that enthusiasm I brought today.

Jackie Wiles
I wasn’t expecting that, to see a nine next to my name was crazy, very exciting. But I’ve got to do it in a race.

I knew the course better today so I charged a little harder. Coming into fall away yesterday I did not have a good position, and today I knew what I had to do it differently. I think I carried more speed coming into C turn and down to Gunbarrel. So if I can just send it again tomorrow, it’ll be good.

Stacey Cook
The track is really awesome up here and really smooth. That usually makes for a really close race, so definitely have to dial in some small things. We tried a little tighter line. None of the other teams were taking that so we were kind of out in our own snow zone, which I don’t think was too fast in the upper section. But we’ll look at video and analyze and see exactly where we lost time and adjust for tomorrow. I feel pretty confident. It felt like a good run.

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Official Training Results

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