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