. world ski news : Didier Cuche wins Canadian downhill - 28 Íîåìâðè 2009 - 22:32
A multi-talented swiss skier becomes oldest man to win downhill
The incomparable Swiss Didier Cuche completely controlled the opening downhill of the World Cup season Saturday (Nov. 28) at Lake Louise, Canada in a race marred by a nasty somersaulting crash by American TJ Lanning.
Cuche, a 35 year old veteran of the White Circus was masterful in riding to a .44 of a second margin and his second win of the season. Italian Werner Heel was second and Swiss Carlo Janka matched his third place finish from a season ago. The defending World Cup downhill champion Michael Walchhofer led the Austrians in fourth place.
Lanning's crash, resulting in a long delay as he was airlifted off to hospital, was just the newsreel highlight in a day of frustration for the American squad. The lone bright spot was a clean late run (started 62nd) by Andrew Weibrecht that got him 12th on the day and drew applause from Cuche among others.
With precious little speed training Bode Miller was uncharacteristically cautious in his run and wound up 29th. The Canadians fared somewhat better. John Kucera was sixth, Robbie Dixon eighth, Manuel Oborne-Paradis 16th, Eric Guay 21st and Louis-Pierre Helie 22nd. An overcast day with a light snowfall and blustery winds contributed to the outcome as some racers battled more difficult visibility issues than others.
Cuche credited everybody but himself with his win. "I had great skis today. They went really fast and I had to do my job and I'm glad I did," he said.
Having already won a GS earlier this season at Soelden, Cuche said he had been uncertain how prepared he was for downhill racing. "I wasn't sure I was skiing so well in downhill as (I was) in GS and super G. I knew that technically it was okay, but just that smooth feeling to let the ski go. I wasn't so fast the last fewe days of training. It seems to look good for the Swiss guys."
With Janka third, Ambrosi Hoffmann fifth and Tobias Gruenenfelder in ninth and Patrick Kueng narrowly missing the top 10 in 11th place, the Swiss had a day worth celebrating.
Cuchen had previously made three Cup podiums at Lake Louise, but always in super G. "I have always had a tough time to be really fast here. My best position was fifth (in DH) and I'm really glad with the way I skied today."
Weibrecht said he was a bit surprised with his strong result from so late a start, but said he got lucky. "I got a little bit lucky with the light, it seemed like it cleared up a little bit. I just put the hammer down and gave it everything I had and skied clean. That's it."
He said he usually "get crushed on the bottom flat here, but I'm starting to figure out the gliding part of skiing, so it's getting better and better. I can't complain."
Kucera, the defending World Champion in downhill on a decidedly different type of course than this said he was happy with his sixth place finish, especially with the rest of the Canadian Cowboys contributing so well. "That's a strong team result and that it really important," said Kucera. "It shows that we are skiing well as a group and that gives us confidence heading into the rest of the year."
The lack of podium placing is likely to raise concerns for the mighty Austrian squad. Walchhofer said he felt he was in good shape and said the course was hard and suitable. "I'm happy with this result," he said, "and the training run shows me that and so I'm happy for the next race."
Lanning's crash was hard on the U.S. team. He caught a hole and got bounced into a gate which hooked on his boot. He somersaulted between his skis and as the skis came around they wrenched hard on his leg before he slammed into the fences. The race was delayed while he was prepared and airlifted off the hill. Eric Fisher had the unfortunate fate of starting first after the delay.
The initial report on Lanning's condition says it is "likely he sustained significant ligament damage" to his right knee. He also complained of back pain. He was airlifted to Banff Hospital.
The SCOOP
Men's Downhill, Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada, Nov. 28, 2009. … It is the third race of 34 on the men's 2009-2010 World Cup schedule. … The first of eight scheduled downhills. … It is the first of two men's races scheduled at Lake Louise with a super G Sunday. … First of five Cup races scheduled at Lake Louise this season with the women contending three events next weekend. … It is the 71st World Cup race hosted by Lake Louise. … the 43rd downhill. … the 13th men's downhill. … Conditions are overcast with light snow falling, flat light.
It is the 11th career World Cup win for Didier Cuche, His fifth in downhill and his first at Lake Louise. … He has been third three times at Lake Louise in super G but never better than fifth in DH previously. … It is his second win of the season after taking the GS win at Soelden in the opener in October.
It is the fifth career World Cup podium for Werner Heel but his first second place finish. … His previous best at Lake Louise had been sixth in DH in November of 2007.
It is the sixth career World Cup podium for Carlo Janka and his second at Lake Louise having placed second in DH a year and a day ago. … Those are his only podiums in DH.
Sixth matches the eighth best career Cup placing for John Kucera. … It is his third best placing at Lake Louise where he recorded his only win in SG in 2006 and placed second in SG in 2008. … The placing is his career best in DH in World Cup competition, although he won the world championship in the discipline last season. … Eighth is the fifth best career World Cup result for Robbie Dixon and is his third best in DH. … It is the third best career Cup placing and second best DH placing for Andrew Weibrecht, his only better coming at Kitzbuehel (SG) and Beaver Creek (DH). … Manuel Osborne-Paradis matches his 19th best World Cup result. … Eric Guay matches his 68th best career Cup result. … It is the first career scoring result for Louis-Pierre Helie. … It is the 129th scoring result for Bode Miller's career.
Cuche maintains the lead of the World Cup overall standings 200-120 over Carlo Janka. … Ivica Kostelic (18th in race) is third at 115. … Ted Ligety (did not race) is the top U.S. skier in sixth with 93pts. …Robbie Dixon leads the Canadians in 12th wityh 47pts.
By Hank McKee
SkiRacing.com
28/11/2009
Equipment
Men's Downhill, Lake Louise, Canada, Nov. 28, 2009
Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Cuche, Head/Head/Tyrolia
2 Heel, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
3 Janka, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
4 Walchhofer, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
5 Hoffmann, Head/Lange/Tyrolia
6 Kucera, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
7 Jaerbyn, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
8 Dixon, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
9 Gruenenfelder, Stoeckli/Lange/Atomic
10 Olsson, Head/Head/Tyrolia
OFFICIAL RESULTS
Place Lake Louise (CAN) Discipline Downhill
Date 28.11.2009 Category FIS World Cup
Race codex 0340 Gender M
Valid for FIS Points YES TD Name Turton Fred (USA)
Rank Bib FIS Code Name Year Nation Total Time FIS Points
1 18 510030 CUCHE Didier 1974 SUI 1:50.31 0.00
2 9 292514 HEEL Werner 1982 ITA 1:50.75 5.27
3 15 511313 JANKA Carlo 1986 SUI 1:50.93 7.42
4 16 50041 WALCHHOFER Michael 1975 AUT 1:50.98 8.02
5 10 510767 HOFFMANN Ambrosi 1977 SUI 1:51.07 9.09
6 14 102873 KUCERA John 1984 CAN 1:51.12 9.69
7 55 500150 JAERBYN Patrik 1969 SWE 1:51.25 11.25
8 7 102961 DIXON Robbie 1985 CAN 1:51.30 11.85
9 41 510747 GRUENENFELDER Tobias 1977 SUI 1:51.33 12.21
10 11 501076 OLSSON Hans 1984 SWE 1:51.34 12.33
11 43 511139 KUENG Patrick 1984 SUI 1:51.40 13.04
12 62 530939 WEIBRECHT Andrew 1986 USA 1:51.41 13.16
13 3 192746 THEAUX Adrien 1984 FRA 1:51.49 14.12
14 19 50753 KROELL Klaus 1980 AUT 1:51.50 14.24
15 1 51215 BAUMANN Romed 1986 AUT 1:51.53 14.60
16 22 510727 DEFAGO Didier 1977 SUI 1:51.57 15.08
16 17 102899 OSBORNE-PARADIS Manuel 1984 CAN 1:51.57 15.08
18 33 380260 KOSTELIC Ivica 1979 CRO 1:51.62 15.68
19 67 511383 FEUZ Beat 1987 SUI 1:51.70 16.63
20 44 290998 STAUDACHER Patrick 1980 ITA 1:51.83 18.19
21 13 102263 GUAY Erik 1981 CAN 1:51.87 18.67
22 60 103090 HELIE Louis-Pierre 1986 CAN 1:51.88 18.79
23 49 561067 PERKO Rok 1985 SLO 1:51.95 19.62
24 6 191116 DALCIN Pierre-Emmanuel 1977 FRA 1:52.00 20.22
25 61 380292 ZRNCIC-DIM Natko 1986 CRO 1:52.11 21.54
26 42 191591 BERTRAND Yannick 1980 FRA 1:52.14 21.90
27 32 510890 ZURBRIGGEN Silvan 1981 SUI 1:52.22 22.86
28 63 40171 BRANCH Craig 1977 AUS 1:52.31 23.93
29 21 532431 MILLER Bode 1977 USA 1:52.42 25.25
29 12 293006 INNERHOFER Christof 1984 ITA 1:52.42 25.25
31 8 350032 BUECHEL Marco 1971 LIE 1:52.43 25.37
32 51 192932 FAYED Guillermo 1985 FRA 1:52.45 25.61
33 20 421328 SVINDAL Aksel Lund 1982 NOR 1:52.51 26.33
34 65 421483 JANSRUD Kjetil 1985 NOR 1:52.56 26.92
35 38 102271 HUDEC Jan 1981 CAN 1:52.62 27.64
36 53 150421 ZAHROBSKY Petr 1980 CZE 1:52.63 27.76
37 58 201987 STRODL Andreas 1987 GER 1:52.68 28.36
38 39 201606 KEPPLER Stephan 1983 GER 1:52.70 28.60
39 47 510498 ZUEGER Cornel 1981 SUI 1:52.72 28.84
40 37 51005 SCHEIBER Mario 1983 AUT 1:52.75 29.20
41 64 103375 NELLA Tyler 1988 CAN 1:52.77 29.44
42 34 560447 SPORN Andrej 1981 SLO 1:52.90 30.99
43 46 201702 NEUREUTHER Felix 1984 GER 1:52.92 31.23
44 48 201811 STECHERT Tobias 1985 GER 1:52.94 31.47
45 45 561087 MARKIC Gasper 1986 SLO 1:52.98 31.95
46 30 292291 THANEI Stefan 1981 ITA 1:52.99 32.07
47 4 50695 BUDER Andreas 1979 AUT 1:53.04 32.67
48 27 560332 JERMAN Andrej 1978 SLO 1:53.09 33.27
48 5 50858 STREITBERGER Georg 1981 AUT 1:53.09 33.27
50 57 533762 TRANSUE Jeremy 1983 USA 1:53.16 34.10
51 54 511039 KREUZER Ralf 1983 SUI 1:53.21 34.70
52 26 191740 CLAREY Johan 1981 FRA 1:53.27 35.42
53 66 421400 MYHRE Lars Elton 1984 NOR 1:53.31 35.90
53 23 533131 SULLIVAN Marco 1980 USA 1:53.31 35.90
55 59 150398 BANK Ondrej 1980 CZE 1:53.37 36.62
56 36 50833 GRUGGER Hans 1981 AUT 1:53.42 37.22
57 56 51332 SCHEIBER Florian 1987 AUT 1:53.52 38.41
57 2 50625 RAICH Benjamin 1978 AUT 1:53.52 38.41
59 40 53817 FRANZ Max 1989 AUT 1:53.55 38.77
60 25 534939 FISHER Erik 1985 USA 1:53.70 40.57
61 68 220695 CRAWFORD Douglas 1987 GBR 1:53.92 43.20
62 28 50451 GRUBER Christoph 1976 AUT 1:53.96 43.68
63 50 201542 STRODL Peter 1982 GER 1:54.34 48.22
64 29 533866 NYMAN Steven 1982 USA 1:54.38 48.70
65 31 191964 POISSON David 1982 FRA 1:54.44 49.42
66 69 501230 ERICSSON Daniel 1987 SWE 1:54.57 50.98
67 73 380291 RATKIC Ivan 1986 CRO 1:54.66 52.05
68 70 491129 TERRA Ferran 1987 SPA 1:55.96 67.61
69 72 191778 PICHOT Sebastien 1981 FRA 1:56.15 69.88
70 75 480736 HOROSHILOV Alexandr 1984 RUS 1:56.37 72.52
71 35 532490 MACARTNEY Scott 1978 USA 1:58.34 96.09
72 76 550022 RODE Roberts 1987 LAT 1:59.42 109.01
Did not finish 1st run
534567 LANNING T J 1984 USA
430429 BYDLINSKI Maciej 1988 POL
700724 BABUSIAK Jaroslav 1984 SVK
530874 GANONG Travis 1988 USA
90047 GEORGIEV Stefan 1977 BUL
291459 PARIS Dominik 1989 ITA