Cuche, other stars urge FIS to change start order

World Cup downhill leader Didier Cuche and other top skiers have protested over “unfair” rules for start numbers to the International Ski Federation.
    Worried about the ignominy that he might win this year’s downhill cup without a single first place, Cuche on Saturday attacked the starting order rules which he said hurt his chances because he always got an unfavorably high number.
    His complaints were backed by top skiers at a team captains meeting later on Saturday in Garmisch, which hosted two downhill races on Friday and Saturday where the favorites were shut out in part because of deteriorating conditions and their high numbers.

WORLD CUP DOWNHILL leader Didier Cuche and other top skiers have protested over “unfair” rules for start numbers to the International Ski Federation.
    Worried about the ignominy that he might win this year’s downhill cup without a single first place, Cuche on Saturday attacked the starting order rules which he said hurt his chances because he always got an unfavorably high number.
    His complaints were backed by top skiers at a team captains meeting later on Saturday in Garmisch, which hosted two downhill races on Friday and Saturday where the favorites were shut out in part because of deteriorating conditions and their high numbers.
    “I had some bad luck getting second place a few times early in the season but now starting at the back all the time is going to make it difficult to win a race,” Cuche said. “I’ve tried to talk to FIS about this but it’s like talking to a wall,” he added. “It’s not good for the sport.
    “No one wants to try anything. It would be incredible to win the championship without winning a race. If I win it without a victory, I’d still be happy. But people expect the champion to win races, and so would I.”
    The rules, which in the past were the subject of criticism, were changed this year. The top 30 start in reverse order to their World Cup ranking. It means the top racers sometimes have unfavorable conditions as courses deteriorate.
    Cuche was second in four of the first six downhill races this year. But now, with a high start number, he has struggled and did not make it on to the podium in the next two races until getting third on Saturday.
    There are two downhills left in the season.
    Cuche’s complaints were echoed at the team captains’ meeting.
    “We are here to say that we are not really happy about the starting numbers in super G and downhill,” said Marco Buechel of Liechtenstein at the meeting attended by Cuche, Italy’s Peter Fill, Austria’s Fritz Strobl and Norway’s Aksel Lund Svindal.
    “We’re asking for more fair chances in the speed disciplines. It’s not good because we are punished when you have good results. We want FIS to start thinking about the starting order in the speed disciplines.”
    Buechel, who is second and 128 points behind Cuche, stopped short of offering any alternative ideas. Buechel won one downhill, the first of the season at Lake Louise in Canada and has not made it to the podium in the World Cup since then.
    “It’s not our job to make suggestions,” he said. “There are many other ways to start a downhill or a super G. We want you to think about a solution and change it in the future, to make the sport more interesting.”
    The starting number rule has been a factor behind a lot of surprising results this year, including at the two downhills here. Andrej Jerman of Slovenia won his first race on Friday and Canada’s Erik Guay got his first victory on Saturday.
    The rule was introduced to make the races more interesting for television audiences.
    FIS race director Guenter Hujara was quoted in Austrian media as saying that he saw no reason why the rule could not be changed. He said a change could be decided at the FIS Congress in May in Slovenia.