Fog slows first training at Val Gardena; Olsson one, Bode two

By Published On: December 14th, 2011Comments Off on Fog slows first training at Val Gardena; Olsson one, Bode two

Hans Olsson clocked the fastest time down Val Gardena’s Saslong downhill track Wednesday (Dec. 14) in a fog forced stutter start-stop-start training run.

Bode Miller sits in second place in a tie with Austrian Romed Baumann.

While fresh snow was a major factor, it was fog that caused the delays. The run was halted the first time after just a handful of skiers had tested the track when a thick fog bank settled on the top of the course. There was a lengthy pause after Wiley Maple ran in 45th, and was picked up later and run through Canada’s Louis-Pierre Helie in 58, halted and restarted again. There are 79 skiers on the start list. The race had been stopped again with four skiers remaining to run at this report.

With the top 10 clocking in a shade over a second apart the race on Saturday looks to be a close affair. Beyond Miller the U.S. finishers included Erik Fisher in 15th, Marco Sullivan in 27th and Travis Ganong in 31st. Jan Hudec led Canada in 24th.

“I feel good, the run went well,” said Olsson. “I wanted to jump high, but because it wasn’t that fast due to the new snow, I hardly made the jump over the Camel Humps. I had a good feeling in the finish area, but feelings, as we know, can often be deceiving. The snow was really good. The piste is softer because of the snowfall. The visibility was actually quite good, although it was a bit foggy.”

Baumann agreed the soft snow played a role. “The run was really good,” he said. “I was able to adapt well to the conditions. It was very soft. What I planned to do, worked out. I was able to look at all the jumps, there are quite a few passages where you fly through the air on this course. I’m happy with the training.

“My aim on Saturday in the downhill is to win. Last year I missed it by 0.06 seconds, so this year my aim can only be a win, but some others also want to stand at the top.”

With nine major jumps and 17 bumps the Saslong course is a unique challenge many World Cup racers look forward to season after season.

Gepa photo of Hans Olsson

Place   Val Gardena-Groeden (ITA)   Discipline   Downhill
Date   14.12.2011   Category   Training
Race codex   0785   Gender   M
Valid for FIS Points   NO   TD Name   Bertsch Hugo (AUT)
       
  

UNOFFICIAL RESULTS – FIRST TRAINING (PARTIAL)
Rank Bib FIS Code Name Year Nation Total Time
 1  28  501076 OLSSON Hans  1984  SWE   2:02.42
 2  21  532431 MILLER Bode  1977  USA   2:02.77
 2  16  51215 BAUMANN Romed  1986  AUT   2:02.77
 4  32  201811 STECHERT Tobias  1985  GER   2:02.81
 5  20  510030 CUCHE Didier  1974  SUI   2:02.94
 6  4  51327 PUCHNER Joachim  1987  AUT   2:03.13
 7  22  421328 SVINDAL Aksel Lund  1982  NOR   2:03.14
 8  31  421483 JANSRUD Kjetil  1985  NOR   2:03.45
 9  41  53817 FRANZ Max  1989  AUT   2:03.52
 10  5  50858 STREITBERGER Georg  1981  AUT   2:03.54
 11  25  50742 REICHELT Hannes  1980  AUT   2:03.63
 12  30  510767 HOFFMANN Ambrosi  1977  SUI   2:03.66
 12  27  192932 FAYED Guillermo  1985  FRA   2:03.66
 14  6  292514 HEEL Werner  1982  ITA   2:03.77
 15  33  534939 FISHER Erik  1985  USA   2:04.03
 16  18  51005 SCHEIBER Mario  1983  AUT   2:04.13
 17  3  511529 GISIN Marc  1988  SUI   2:04.26
 18  26  380260 KOSTELIC Ivica  1979  CRO   2:04.27
 19  19  293006 INNERHOFER Christof  1984  ITA   2:04.30
 20  43  500150 JAERBYN Patrik  1969  SWE   2:04.34
 21  23  510890 ZURBRIGGEN Silvan  1981  SUI   2:04.40
 22  15  192746 THEAUX Adrien  1984  FRA   2:04.42
 23  7  191591 BERTRAND Yannick  1980  FRA   2:04.51
 24  29  102271 HUDEC Jan  1981  CAN   2:04.92
 25  1  292455 FILL Peter  1982  ITA   2:04.94
 26  10  510727 DEFAGO Didier  1977  SUI   2:04.99
 27  42  53981 KROELL Johannes  1991  AUT   2:05.03
 27  35  533131 SULLIVAN Marco  1980  USA   2:05.03
 29  65  193034 BOUILLOT Alexandre  1985  FRA   2:05.12
 30  52  191964 POISSON David  1982  FRA   2:05.15
 31  2  201606 KEPPLER Stephan  1983  GER   2:05.17
 32  36  530874 GANONG Travis  1988  USA   2:05.19
 33  9  560447 SPORN Andrej  1981  SLO   2:05.32
 34  13  102263 GUAY Erik  1981  CAN   2:05.44
 35  24  511139 KUENG Patrick  1984  SUI   2:05.61
 36  14  511383 FEUZ Beat  1987  SUI   2:05.63
 37  39  200379 SANDER Andreas  1989  GER   2:05.72
 38  17  511313 JANKA Carlo  1986  SUI   2:05.76
 39  48  561087 MARKIC Gasper  1986  SLO   2:06.10
 40  8  102961 DIXON Robbie  1985  CAN   2:06.18
 41  53  561067 PERKO Rok  1985  SLO   2:06.20
 42  37  53837 KRAMER Manuel  1989  AUT   2:06.23
 43  64  194190 ROGER Brice  1990  FRA   2:06.24
 44  40  511142 LUEOEND Vitus  1984  SUI   2:06.30
 45  57  294277 KLOTZ Siegmar  1987  ITA   2:06.33
 46  45  930024 MAPLE Wiley  1990  USA   2:06.37
 47  55  54005 STRIEDINGER Otmar  1991  AUT   2:06.50
 48  56  561216 KLINE Bostjan  1991  SLO   2:06.51
 49  66  202290 ACKERMANN Marvin  1991  GER   2:06.52
 49  61  510747 GRUENENFELDER Tobias  1977  SUI   2:06.52
 51  62  53902 MAYER Matthias  1990  AUT   2:06.62
 52  49  380292 ZRNCIC-DIM Natko  1986  CRO   2:06.70
 53  44  53936 DUERAGER Markus  1990  AUT   2:06.74
 54  51  294911 PATSCHEIDER Hagen  1988  ITA   2:06.79
 55  67  561085 KRIZAJ Andrej  1986  SLO   2:06.86
 56  63  51401 GRAF Bernhard  1988  AUT   2:07.01
 57  46  990081 CASSE Mattia  1990  ITA   2:07.10
 58  50  202059 FERSTL Josef  1988  GER   2:07.33
 59  70  220695 CRAWFORD Douglas  1987  GBR   2:07.34
 60  34  530939 WEIBRECHT Andrew  1986  USA   2:07.66
 61  38  293550 MARSAGLIA Matteo  1985  ITA   2:07.70
 62  72  220656 DRAKE Ed  1986  GBR   2:08.49
 63  47  180570 ROMAR Andreas  1989  FIN   2:08.52
 64  60  294904 PANGRAZZI Paolo  1988  ITA   2:09.04
 65  54  103271 THOMSEN Benjamin  1987  CAN   2:09.26
 66  59  193560 PASQUIER Alexandre  1987  FRA   2:09.34
 67  71  20267 ESTEVE Kevin  1989  AND   2:09.69
 68  58  103090 HELIE Louis-Pierre  1986  CAN   2:10.27
 69  74  561217 KOSI Klemen  1991  SLO   2:12.13
 70  75  531156 TARBERRY Ace  1988  USA   2:12.14
 71  73  220874 BALDWIN TJ  1990  GBR   2:13.72
 72  12  50753 KROELL Klaus  1980  AUT   3:48.37

Share This Article

About the Author: Hank McKee

In memoriam: The veteran of the staff, McKee started with Ski Racing in 1980. Over the seasons, he covered virtually every aspect of the sport, from the pro tours to junior racing, freestyle and World Cup alpine competition. He wrote the first national stories for many U.S. team stars, and was still around to report on their retirements. “Longevity has its rewards,” he said, “but it’s a slow process.”

Related Posts

Shiffrin skis for 5th World Championship SL title
Shiffrin skis for 5th World Championship SL title

Shiffrin skis for 5th World Championship SL title

February 17th, 2023
World Cup Quota Earned Through NorAms
World Cup Quota Earned Through NorAms

World Cup Quota Earned Through NorAms

June 21st, 2022
Vail racer fights cancer while giving back
Vail racer fights cancer while giving back

Vail racer fights cancer while giving back

April 21st, 2020