World Cup's top speedsters head to Beaver Creek

Technically, the Birds of Prey downhill track at Beaver Creek was created for the 1999 World Alpine Ski Championships. But since 2002, when Daron Rahlves broke through for the first American podium on the 9,291-foot long, 2,483-foot vertical drop course, it is clear it was built for the home team.
    To say the members of the U.S. Ski Team look forward to the Beaver Creek stop is putting it mildly. “Oh yeah,” says head coach Phil McNichol, “Beaver Creek has become quite a lucrative success wagon for us. Once the guys start to ski fast at a location it tends to breed good things. I hope we can keep the train rolling.”
    The chances appear decent the U.S. will continue its string of successes at Beaver Creek when the U.S. portion of the World Cup tour opens with a super combined and downhill later this week.   

TECHNICALLY, THE BIRDS OF PREY downhill track at Beaver Creek, Colorado, was created for the 1999 World Ski Championships. But since 2002, when Daron Rahlves broke through for the first American podium on the 9,291-foot long, 2,483-foot vertical drop course, it is clear it was built for the home team.
    To say the members of the U.S. Ski Team look forward to the Beaver Creek stop is putting it mildly. “Oh yeah,” says head coach Phil McNichol, “Beaver Creek has become quite a lucrative success wagon for us. Once the guys start to ski fast at a location it tends to breed good things. I hope we can keep the train rolling.”
    Rahlves spun the wheels a little faster when he won the first of two downhills down Birds of Prey in 2003 (’04 season). The next season Bode Miller and Rahlves went one-two and then flip-flopped the results the season after. In ‘06, with Rahlves retired, Miller won and Steven Nyman was third. This is why McNichol considers the place a success wagon. These are uncommonly good placings for the U.S. downhillers.
    This season he’s hoping the train will reach bullet-train speed. Miller and Nyman both finished last season ranked among the top 10 of World Cup downhill, and with Marco Sullivan notching a second in the first downhill of this season at Lake Louise Nov. 24 the chances appear decent the U.S. will continue its string of successes at Beaver Creek when the U.S. portion of the World Cup tour opens with a super combined and downhill Nov. 29 and 30.
    The addition of a super G Dec. 1 and a GS Dec. 2 make this stop the most valuable of the early season. Only Kitzbühel in mid-January and the Cup finals in Italy in March will see the men have four opportunities to score points without packing and moving.
    Ted Ligety got his first podium at Beaver Creek in slalom (which won’t be held this season) and got another last season in GS. Scott Macartney’s best DH result came at Beaver Creek last season. Sullivan was top 10 last season and Erik Schlopy has two single digit results in GS at the Colorado resort. The team has yet to win a super G on the track, but Miller was second in Dec. 2004.
    As big a success wagon as Beaver Creek has been for the U.S. men, it is almost pale compared to the success U.S. women have had at their site for the coming weekend, Lake Louise. As they open their speed schedule with a downhill Dec. 1 and a super G Dec. 2, there is little to limit expectations.
    Picabo Street and Hilary Lindh set the precedent when they ruled this hill. More recently Lindsey Vonn has controlled the downhill, winning in each of the past three seasons, and placing second in two super G’s to boot. Julia Mancuso has had solid showings, Stacey Cook has skied well above average at Lake Louise, registering three of her four best career results. It will be interesting to see if these skiers can pull some of the younger racers up the finish order with them.
    Of course, there will be skiers competing this weekend who are not American. The Canadian women have historically done well at Lake Louise. Kelley Vanderbeek got her only podium at Lake Louise. And the Canadian men are off to a rousing fast start as they head to Beaver Creek where Erik Guay was second in 2005.
    The Austrians love difficult tests and have a full stable of skiers capable of winning at either site. Though Hermann Maier hasn’t collected a podium at Beaver Creek since 2004, he has six Cup wins attributed to Beaver Creek and a couple more World Championship titles. Stephan Goergl and Hannes Reichelt each have their only super G’s from Beaver Creek. And the list of Austrian women who have won at Lake Louise is a who’s who of talent, with Renate Goetschl, Alexandra Meissnitzer and Michaela Dorfmeister the most recent.
    Plus, Lake Louise in particular seems to garner unusual winners. Germany’s Maria Riesch won the downhill Vonn didn’t last season for her lone win of the season. Italian Elena Fanchini won in 2005, and has been no closer to first than seventh since. So it is impossible to rule much of anyone out. Punch a ticket and come watch the bullet train leave the station.