Kitzbühel: Swiss lead 2nd trainer; Thursday trainer canceled

The Swiss downhill team dominated its rivals in Wednesday's second training run at Kitzbühel with Didier Defago setting the fast time of the day ahead of his teammate Didier Cuche, while their colleague Daniel Albrecht, racing for the first time on that slope, finished an impressive fourth.
    "I am happy to have finished the run again without being injured," Albrecht told the press. "Yesterday I had no clue how to race here but today I found pretty much the line I wanted to ski. Normally I take it easy at the first training runs but it is simply not possible here in Kitzbühel. The last jump is quite difficult because you are basically going in there blind and you're very tired too."By Patrick Lang

The Swiss downhill team dominated its rivals in Wednesday's second training run at Kitzbühel with Didier Defago setting the fast time of the day ahead of his teammate Didier Cuche, while their colleague Daniel Albrecht, racing for the first time on that slope, finished an impressive fourth.
    "I am happy to have finished the run again without being injured," Albrecht told the press. "Yesterday I had no clue how to race here but today I found pretty much the line I wanted to ski. Normally I take it easy at the first training runs but it is simply not possible here in Kitzbühel. The last jump is quite difficult because you are basically going in there blind and you're very tired too."
    Two skiers were injured on their way down the treacherous "Streif" run. Andreas Buder, on the podium this winter at Lake Louise and Bormio, broke his right leg when he crashed in the "Hausbergkante" jump situated in the final part of the course and was transported by helicopter to the local hospital.
    Marco Sullivan, second at Lake Louise, also fell badly and it's not sure yet if he will be able to compete this weekend.
    On Tuesday, two skiers already ended their season with a bad spill after the final 80-meter-long-jump carrying the athletes just under the finish line. Patrick Hinterseer, a forerunner and the grandson of former Olympic champion Ernst Hinterseer, broke two vertebras during his accident and Ondrej Bank, from Czech Republic and third in super-combined last November at Beaver Creek, broke his right leg.
    Defago, who never dominated any training run on the World Cup tour so far, clocked a time of 1:57.63 seconds. Cuche, the fastest man on Tuesday, was only .06 second back yet the Swiss slightly injured himself. "It's a painful bruise at the bone, it happened when the top of my boot roughly touched it after a bump," Cuche said. The leader in the downhill standings may decide to skip tomorrow's practice run to rest and recover some energy.
    On Tuesday, Cuche said that the course is terribly demanding this year. "It's really tough this year, very hard and bumpy too," he said. Normally such difficult conditions should favor his way of skiing.
    France's Pierre Emmanuel Dalcin, the winner at Val d'Isère last year, was an unexpected third at .91 second while Albrecht lost 1.10 seconds.
    Michael Walchhofer was fifth ahead of Christoph Gruber and Hermann Maier who apparently enjoys the difficult course conditions here.
    "The slope was pretty soft already today but I am satisfied with my performance," said the 35-year-veteran. "I was better than yesterday, even though I am not at the very top of the field as of now. It is difficult for me to get to the first spots. Everything has to fit for that," Maier added.
    USA's Bode Miller was 15th at 2.18 seconds. The skier from New Hampshire is aiming for his first podium in Kitzbühel in downhill.
    Another training run was planned for Thursday but the organizers were worried about weather predictions that could jeopardize the entire program of the "Hahnenkamm" festivities. It is supposed to get warmer in the coming days and experts are afraid it could also rain and be foggy on Friday and Saturday.
    Last year, the speed events had to be cancelled here because of warm weather and lack of snow. Only two slalom races could take place in the lower part of the downhill track, both won by Sweden's Jens Byggmark.
    With a total prize money of 550,000 Euros and nearly 80,000 spectators expected during the entire week, the "Hahnenkanmm" competitions are by far the most prestigious events of the World Cup season.
    "A win here is worth a World Championships gold medal – especially in winters without any medal events," explained Walchhofer. "It's a unique achievement for an Austrian to win here. You remain a hero in your country for the rest of your life."
    Weather permitting, a Super-G is scheduled for Friday followed by the downhill on Saturday and the slalom on Sunday. It is possible that this program will be changed like last weekend in Wengen where the slalom was moved up to Saturday and the downhill postponed until Sunday.
    John Kucera of Canada was the top North American in 10th, 1.83 seconds off the pace. Erik Guay was 14th and Bode Miller 15th. Manuel Osborne-Paradis placed 17th. Scott Macartney tied for 19th.
    The final training run, set for Thursday was canceled.
    "We decided to cancel the training, because the weather forecast for the upcoming night predicts precipitation," said FIS Race Director Gunther Hujara. "The course should not be stressed tomorrow, because we want to have good races on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. After two training runs the skiers know what to expect. We want to have the best possible conditions for the athletes. The course is difficult and a big challenge but that is the Streif."

Did not start 1st run : GORZA Ales (SLO), KOLL Alexander (AUT), BRAND Olivier (SUI), SCHOENFELDER Rainer (AUT), REICHELT Hannes (AUT), ALSTER Christoph (AUT), MICKEL Finlay (GBR), BAUMANN Romed (AUT), STREITBERGER Georg (AUT)

Did not finish 1st run : SPORN Andrej (SLO), BUDER Andreas (AUT), SULLIVAN Marco (USA), GRUENENFELDER Tobias (SUI)

Disqualified 1st run : RAINER Niklas (SWE), SINE Gareth (CAN), STEHLE Johannes (GER), FISCHNALLER Roland (ITA), KEPPLER Stephan (GER), HOFER Beni (SUI), LIGETY Ted (USA), RAICH Benjamin (AUT), JERMAN Andrej (SLO), FILL Peter (ITA)