Norway gets third gold from nerveless Kristoffersen

By Published On: March 7th, 2012Comments Off on Norway gets third gold from nerveless Kristoffersen

Norwegian nerves were on display at the FIS Alpine Junior World Ski Championship today (March 7), and they were completely in control. Henrik Kristoffersen fired down the sloppy flanks of  Aremogna, Roccaraso, Italy to overtake German Thomas Dressen for the giant slalom gold medal.

Dressen held the lead as long as it is possible, having placed 30th in the first run and running first in the flip 30 format in the second. Kristoffersen, the first run winner as well as champion, was the 30th to run.

Slovene Zan Kranjec won the bronze.

Conditions played an enormous role. Relative to the opening days of the championships at Roccaraso,  – 200km east of Rome – it was cold, but the snow did not hold up, it was windy and a persistent fog settled on the course.

“Being Norwegian, I’m used to these kind of conditions,” said Kristoffersen. “I have trained a lot in strong wind, s***ty snow and low visibility, but I don’t care about that when I race. All I think about is racing.”

Dressen had the advantage of a smooth course as the first man out of the start in the second heat. With 2.78 seconds to make up he fired off a fabulous run, the fastest of the afternoon by .36. He anticipated getting bumped down the finish order, but until Kristoffersen, it just didn’t happen.

“Fortunately I had an early start, as the conditions got worse. … Before the best racers came down I had no expectations to be on the podium, but this is part of the game. I almost can’t believe it.”

Most seemed barely able to believe a world championship was being decided in these conditions. Dressen suggested it wasn’t fair after as few as 10 skiers took to the course.

Kranjec, overjoyed to have collected a medal in his first world championship, had been fourth in the first run. He was 16th in the second, good enough for bronze.

Kieffer Christianson upheld US honor with a ninth place finish with the fourth fastest second run. Canadian Trevor Philp placed seventh.

“The heat meant it was slush,” said Kristoffersen, “but I just knocked on. I was just skiing.”

The gold medal was the third for Norway of the meet and cemented them in the lead of the Hodler Cup competition.

Other US results included Ryan Cochran-Siegle in 28th, Robert Cone 40th and Bryce Bennett 43. Tanner Farrow and Matt Strand did not finish. Philp was the only Canadian finisher with Morgan MeGarry and William St Germain on the DNF list and Ford Swette not starting.

Pentaphoto image courtesy of Roccaraso 2012

Roccaraso (ITA)
FIS Junior World Ski Championships
Men’s Giant Slalom

Rank Bib FIS Code Name Year Nation Run 1 Run 2 Total Time FIS Points
 1  11  422304 KRISTOFFERSEN Henrik  1994  NOR   1:16.00  1:23.50  2:39.50  7.97
 2  25  202535 DRESSEN Thomas  1993  GER   1:18.78  1:21.47  2:40.25  12.06
 3  10  561244 KRANJEC Zan  1992  SLO   1:16.78  1:23.57  2:40.35  12.61
 4  6  194495 FAIVRE Mathieu  1992  FRA   1:16.36  1:24.00  2:40.36  12.66
 5  42  202597 SCHMID Alexander  1994  GER   1:18.78  1:21.83  2:40.61  14.02
 6  16  54076 KOECK Niklas  1992  AUT   1:18.52  1:22.16  2:40.68  14.41
 7  2  103865 PHILP Trevor  1992  CAN   1:17.98  1:22.77  2:40.75  14.79
 8  5  202437 LUITZ Stefan  1992  GER   1:17.01  1:23.80  2:40.81  15.12
 9  39  6530115 CHRISTIANSON Kieffer  1992  USA   1:18.36  1:22.47  2:40.83  15.22
 9  1  422139 KILDE Aleksander Aamodt  1992  NOR   1:17.15  1:23.68  2:40.83  15.22
 11  50  511847 MANI Nils  1992  SUI   1:18.05  1:22.80  2:40.85  15.33
 12  56  400237 MEINERS Maarten  1992  NED   1:18.61  1:22.47  2:41.08  16.59
 13  15  54093 STROLZ Johannes  1992  AUT   1:17.01  1:24.09  2:41.10  16.70
 14  26  54063 FELLER Manuel  1992  AUT   1:18.08  1:23.08  2:41.16  17.02
 15  21  194686 FABRE Jonas  1993  FRA   1:18.22  1:23.01  2:41.23  17.41
 16  14  422275 JOHANSEN Ola Buer  1993  NOR   1:17.36  1:23.92  2:41.28  17.68
 17  27  512014 NIEDERBERGER Bernhard  1993  SUI   1:17.99  1:23.34  2:41.33  17.95
 18  4  511852 CAVIEZEL Gino  1992  SUI   1:16.62  1:24.84  2:41.46  18.66
 19  35  202464 GASSNER Philipp  1992  GER   1:18.29  1:23.20  2:41.49  18.82
 20  17  6290845 BOSCA Guglielmo  1993  ITA   1:17.67  1:23.84  2:41.51  18.93
 21  31  194542 GIRAUD MOINE Valentin  1992  FRA   1:18.29  1:23.31  2:41.60  19.42
 22  9  481327 TRIKHICHEV Pavel  1992  RUS   1:17.63  1:24.00  2:41.63  19.59
 23  18  6290350 RAVELLI Andrea  1992  ITA   1:17.71  1:23.94  2:41.65  19.70
 24  3  511857 JENAL Sandro  1992  SUI   1:17.57  1:24.19  2:41.76  20.30
 25  30  501736 HEDMAN Bjoern  1992  SWE   1:18.41  1:23.57  2:41.98  21.50
 26  22  6290062 BARUFFALDI Stefano  1992  ITA   1:18.51  1:23.48  2:41.99  21.55
 27  7  511908 SCHMIDIGER Reto  1992  SUI   1:17.68  1:24.46  2:42.14  22.37
 28  13  6530319 COCHRAN-SIEGLE Ryan  1992  USA   1:17.98  1:24.17  2:42.15  22.42
 29  20  422134 BJERTNESS Endre  1992  NOR   1:18.06  1:25.19  2:43.25  28.42
 30  19  6290183 RONCI Giordano  1992  ITA   1:18.92  1:24.52  2:43.44  29.46
 31  46  380335 ZUBCIC Filip  1993  CRO   1:18.36  1:25.33  2:43.69  30.82
 32  40  501751 STEDING Daniel  1992  SWE   1:19.44  1:25.41  2:44.85  37.15
 33  48  194858 ALLEGRE Nils  1994  FRA   1:19.25  1:26.01  2:45.26  39.39
 34  72  561291 GROSELJ Zan  1993  SLO   1:20.36  1:25.74  2:46.10  43.97
 35  77  202525 SCHMID Manuel  1993  GER   1:21.01  1:25.78  2:46.79  47.73
 36  63  194873 SARRAZIN Cyprien  1994  FRA   1:20.97  1:26.00  2:46.97  48.72
 36  47  304242 NARITA Hideyuki  1993  JPN   1:20.09  1:26.88  2:46.97  48.72
 38  69  6290540 DE VETTORI Matteo  1993  ITA   1:21.01  1:26.08  2:47.09  49.37
 39  76  550054 ZVEJNIEKS Kristaps  1992  LAT   1:20.98  1:26.23  2:47.21  50.02
 40  45  6530117 CONE Robert  1992  USA   1:19.98  1:27.59  2:47.57  51.99
 41  61  481540 KOLGOTIN Pavel  1994  RUS   1:22.02  1:25.70  2:47.72  52.81
 42  78  700879 ZAMPA Andreas  1993  SVK   1:21.05  1:26.84  2:47.89  53.73
 43  54  6530104 BENNETT Bryce  1992  USA   1:20.17  1:27.97  2:48.14  55.10
 44  67  400235 WINKELHORST Steffan  1992  NED   1:21.29  1:27.16  2:48.45  56.79
 45  64  501873 LUNDBAECK Gustav  1993  SWE   1:21.91  1:26.64  2:48.55  57.33
 46  65  481549 STUKOV Maksim  1994  RUS   1:22.01  1:26.57  2:48.58  57.50
 47  81  700868 FALAT Matej  1993  SVK   1:22.89  1:26.52  2:49.41  62.02
 48  102  40536 DEMSCHAR Daniel  1994  AUS   1:24.69  1:27.36  2:52.05  76.42
 49  87  151024 KOTZMANN Adam  1993  CZE   1:24.70  1:27.90  2:52.60  79.42
 50  32  202520 HOLZMANN Sebastian  1993  GER   1:17.34  1:35.34  2:52.68  79.86
 51  60  304139 SHIN Masanori  1993  JPN   1:21.58  1:31.72  2:53.30  83.24
 52  89  40503 COULL Jackson  1993  AUS   1:24.28  1:29.14  2:53.42  83.90
 53  79  410364 FEASEY Willis  1992  NZL   1:26.11  1:27.40  2:53.51  84.39
 54  75  350095 PFIFFNER Marco  1994  LIE   1:24.10  1:29.45  2:53.55  84.61
 55  99  430556 KNUROWSKI Hubert  1992  POL   1:25.27  1:28.59  2:53.86  86.30
 56  110  430550 KLUSAK Jakub  1992  POL   1:25.22  1:28.78  2:54.00  87.06
 57  82  400253 HERWERDEN, VAN Jimmy  1994  NED   1:25.19  1:29.13  2:54.32  88.81
 58  120  670067 KALYUZHNOV Nikita  1994  KAZ   1:24.26  1:30.26  2:54.52  89.90
 59  119  250348 KRISTGEIRSSON Einar-Kristinn  1994  ISL   1:24.09  1:30.72  2:54.81  91.48
 60  104  400267 AVOORT VAN DER Valentijn  1995  NED   1:25.16  1:29.71  2:54.87  91.81
 61  113  250341 ISAKSSON Arnar-Geir  1994  ISL   1:25.41  1:30.05  2:55.46  95.02
 62  106  92664 POPOV Vladimir  1994  BUL   1:25.71  1:29.95  2:55.66  96.12
 63  90  230659 VALCAREGGI Massimiliano  1995  GRE   1:26.89  1:29.98  2:56.87  102.72
 64  124  230651 ANTONIOU Ioannis  1995  GRE   1:25.88  1:31.54  2:57.42  105.72
 64  105  30324 PREBISCH Alberto Iv  1994  ARG   1:26.38  1:31.04  2:57.42  105.72
 66  118  700908 MURIN Roman  1995  SVK   1:25.48  1:32.79  2:58.27  110.35
 67  116  690672 TELYCHUK Vasyl  1992  UKR   1:26.59  1:31.77  2:58.36  110.84
 68  114  80068 GUGLIELMINI Fabio  1994  BRA   1:26.72  1:32.93  2:59.65  117.88
 69  123  690694 KOVBASNYUK Ivan  1993  UKR   1:27.31  1:33.16  3:00.47  122.35
 70  126  550065 SARKANIS Toms  1993  LAT   1:26.92  1:34.20  3:01.12  125.90
 71  125  460081 MOLDOVAN Dragos Dan  1993  ROU   1:28.24  1:33.11  3:01.35  127.15
 72  133  690722 MYTSAK Dmytro  1995  UKR   1:29.99  1:34.13  3:04.12  142.26
 73  131  690736 NEKRUTENKO Vladyslav  1996  UKR   1:29.84  1:35.84  3:05.68  150.77
 74  129  210032 VORONOV Artem  1993  UZB   1:29.99  1:35.85  3:05.84  151.64
 75  135  160097 LEFKARITIS Dinos  1995  CYP   1:33.08  1:37.51  3:10.59  177.55
 76  134  170151 DYRBYE NAESTED Casper  1996  DAN   1:32.75  1:39.22  3:11.97  185.08
 77  139  340304 GEORGES Lucien  1995  LIB   1:36.71  1:44.31  3:21.02  234.44
 78  138  340300 ASSOUAD Georges  1995  LIB   1:39.52  1:42.62  3:22.14  240.55
 79  143  340335 CHAKER Michael  1996  LIB   1:37.90  1:48.40  3:26.30  263.24
 80  144  620059 THAKUR Himanshu  1994  IND   1:46.45  1:49.81  3:36.26  317.57
 81  145  130034 WU Meng-che  1995  TPE   2:06.49  2:25.82  4:32.31  623.30
Disqualified 1st run
   140  210036 SABIROV Temur  1995  UZB         
   137  210034 SEMENCHENKO Arkadiy  1995  UZB         
   130  230667 PROIOS Ioannis  1995  GRE         
Did not start 1st run
   108  680054 GEDEVANISHVILI Dimitri  1993  GEO         
   29  104026 SWETTE Ford  1993  CAN         
Did not finish 2nd run
   142  450025 BIZZOCCHI Lorenzo  1993  RSM         
   141  340230 FENIANOS Naim  1992  LIB         
   132  460089 TANTOS Teodor Andrei  1993  ROU         
   117  250308 SVEINBJARNARSON Unnar Mar  1992  ISL         
   109  240128 BUJTAS Csaba  1992  HUN         
   98  92638 VARBANOV Stoyan  1993  BUL         
   97  40553 CHEVALIER Luc Henri  1992  AUS         
   96  30357 DUKE William  1995  ARG         
   93  60198 VAN DEN BROECKE Robin  1992  BEL         
   74  60207 FIERENS Thomas  1993  BEL         
   73  430610 STARZYK Pawel  1993  POL         
   70  180703 PALONIEMI Santeri  1993  FIN         
   68  54170 MATT Michael  1993  AUT         
   53  103997 MEGARRY Morgan  1993  CAN         
   52  422214 CHRISTENSEN Simen Ramberg  1993  NOR         
   51  103857 ST-GERMAIN Wiliam  1992  CAN         
   49  380318 BRIGOVIC Sebastian  1992  CRO         
   43  561310 HROBAT Miha  1995  SLO         
   41  40489 LAIDLAW Luke  1992  AUS         
   38  194450 SAATDJIAN Nicolas  1992  FRA         
   33  501994 SUNDQUIST Max-gordon  1994  SWE         
Did not finish 1st run
   136  450026 MICHELOTTI Vincenzo Romano  1996  RSM         
   128  230609 DELLIOS Michael  1994  GRE         
   127  670049 SHMAKOV Vitaliy  1993  KAZ         
   122  240139 KEKESI Marton  1995  HUN         
   121  670068 KOSTROV Alexandr  1994  KAZ         
   115  550066 ZVEJNIEKS Miks Edgars  1995  LAT         
   112  350096 HILZINGER Alexander  1994  LIE         
   111  250323 FINNSSON Magnus  1993  ISL         
   107  430640 BABICKI Pawel  1994  POL         
   103  320391 KIM Dong-Woo  1995  KOR         
   101  40523 DEMSCHAR Dominic  1993  AUS         
   100  150985 VRZGULA Vaclav  1992  CZE         
   95  110328 PFINGSTHORN Sebastian  1994  CHI         
   94  150968 KUPEC Karel  1992  CZE         
   92  60236 VAN DEN BROECKE Dries  1995  BEL         
   91  151039 NEMEC Jan  1993  CZE         
   88  30329 BARBEITO Juan Segundo  1994  ARG         
   86  110320 CLARO Eugenio  1993  CHI         
   85  700878 BENDIK Martin  1993  SVK         
   84  6530454 FARROW Tanner  1993  USA         
   83  110339 ECHEVERRIA Sebastian  1995  CHI         
   80  30283 FREEMAN CRESPO Ignacio  1992  ARG         
   71  6530599 STRAND Matthew  1993  USA         
   66  110294 ECHEVERRIA Jose Tomas  1992  CHI         
   62  180718 HENTTINEN Jens  1993  FIN         
   59  561278 REICH – POGLADIC Andraz  1993  SLO         
   58  320367 PARK Je-yun  1994  KOR         
   57  410372 PREBBLE Nick  1993  NZL         
   55  180737 LUUKKO Max  1994  FIN         
   44  511983 AERNI Luca  1993  SUI         
   37  481322 ANDREEVSKIY Alexey  1992  RUS         
   36  54104 WALCH Magnus  1992  AUT         
   34  561255 CATER Martin  1992  SLO         
   28  561254 ZERAK Misel  1992  SLO         
   24  180705 PIRINEN Eemeli  1993  FIN         
   23  422184 WINQUIST Even  1992  NOR         
   12  54144 MEIER Daniel  1993  AUT         
   8  6290440 ZINGERLE Alex  1992  ITA       

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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.”

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