Soft snow, aggressive skiing a dangerous mix

By Published On: December 8th, 2007Comments Off on Soft snow, aggressive skiing a dangerous mix


ASPEN, Colo. — Saturday’s foggy and warm weather conditions combined with the soft snow proved disastrous for racers Alexandra Meissnitzer of Austria and Anne-Sophie Barthet of France, who both were injured after skiing off-course and into deep snow.
    In fact, the soft snow and slow course conditions may have forced those racers who started after No. 10 or so Saturday to perhaps push things a bit far. Reigning World Cup overall champ Nicole Hosp of Austria chose not to race after watching her teammate Meissnitzer fall immediately before her scheduled run.
    All but two U.S. skiers did race Saturday, with Lindsey Vonn leading the way in fourth. Julia Mancuso finished 16th, Stacey Cook was 20th and Resi Stiegler 24th. Kaylin Richardson was a DNF, and Leanne Smith and Libby Ludlow didn’t race after the event was called following Barthet’s crash at No. 37.
    Stiegler was asked if she ever considered not racing Saturday.
    “No. My coaches would tell me not to go if they knew it was too dangerous,” she said. “It was pretty unfortunate [the snow] was that soft because it was a little scary. But if you use your brain you know not to go 100 percent.”
ASPEN, Colo. — Saturday’s foggy and warm weather conditions combined with the soft snow proved disastrous for racers Alexandra Meissnitzer of Austria and Anne-Sophie Barthet of France, who both were injured after skiing off-course and into deep snow.
     In fact, the soft snow and slow course conditions may have forced those racers who started after No. 10 or so Saturday to perhaps push things a bit far. Reigning World Cup overall champ Nicole Hosp of Austria chose not to race after watching her teammate Meissnitzer fall immediately before her scheduled run.
    “Maybe she was making a statement,” American Julia Mancuso said of Hosp. “But [the course] wasn’t necessarily unsafe because the speeds weren’t very high. It was just bumpy and lots of soft snow.”
     All but two U.S. skiers did race Saturday, with Lindsey Vonn leading the way in fourth. Mancuso finished 16th, Stacey Cook was 20th and Resi Stiegler 24th. Kaylin Richardson was a DNF, and Leanne Smith and Libby Ludlow didn’t race after the event was called following Barthet’s crash at No. 37.
    Stiegler was asked if she ever considered not racing Saturday.
    “No. My coaches would tell me not to go if they knew it was too dangerous,” she said. “It was pretty unfortunate [the snow] was that soft because it was a little scary. But if you use your brain you know not to go 100 percent. You know to back off if you get stuck in soft snow.”
    Still, Stiegler added that she “was skiing like a 2-year-old halfway down the course. But I think that’s how I knew I would get down fine, just stay on both feet.”
    Not exactly the type of racing one would expect in World Cup event. For her part, Richardson didn’t blame the course for her DNF, instead blaming it on a “tactical error” when she shifted her weight too early on the Spring Pitch section and got off-balance. “I’m lucky I pulled that off,” she said.  
    Richardson was pragmatic in her assessment of whether Saturday’s race should have been held.
    “Any place, whether it’s the U.S. or Europe, they would have held this race today,” she said. “The weather really came in after it started. To me, the track was fine. I don’t think the track was dangerous. It was when girls got off-line like I did and what [Barthet] did. That’s when the snow was dangerous.”
    Cook, who started 24th, said she felt Saturday’s race wasn’t “unsafe or unfair, by any means.”
    “It’s tough conditions, and whenever there are tough conditions there’s going to be crashes because that’s the nature of the sport,” she said. “[The course] was breaking down a little bit but it’s nothing we’re not used to.”

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About the Author: Pete Rugh