Lake Louise DH/SG

[SkiSpeed]

With all the excitement from Killington, it is good to check in w/the men at LL. Yesterday's DH went off w/out a hitch.

Podium: Feuz, Mayer, Svindal (All Head)
Mayer and Svindal returning from recent injuries looking very strong. This course suits Svindal as well w/the long gliding section at the end. He also bested his fellow AVs Jansrud and Kilde: really solid result for the The Big Norwegian.

Course was in good shape: LL Super Highway: upper speed trap: mid 130's KPH; lower speed trap: mid 120's KPH. Firm conditions; good light. There was a noticeable attempt to work more terrain into the course this year, esp at the bottom.

Quite a few racers were pulled low going into the Coach's Corner jump: it impacted both their speed and takeoff.

Looking forward to today's SG along w/the excitement of the Women's SL 2nd run: Rock It Mikaela!

 

[hbear]

Great race in some pretty challenging conditions. We are way warm for what we usually get so it’s literally hard packed up marbles up top and slushy packed at the bottom.

Beat’s DH run was amazing on the lower half, he made up so much ground (almost missed 2 gates going for it) and walked away with the win.

Didn’t see much of the SG, so can’t comment.

Looking forward to the women this upcoming weekend. Always a lot of fun for my daughter!

 

[SkiSpeed]

SG Update

Podium: Jansrud, Franz, Reichelt (Head, Atomic, Salomon)

Fun race; challenging course set. Upper Wi Waxy Flats set wide open, over 60 M according to Will Brandenburg; guys carried a lot of speed into the Coaches Corner Jump and they took big air; there was a challenging right footer/left footer combo right after landing that took quite a few racers out (see Mayer's run as ex.); below the fishnet section, they set the fall away turn high and aggressive; many skiers did not handle that right and fell off the line, lost their time and the race. The 3 racers on the podium all nailed both of the challenges and then held their speed for the final gliding section. The trail was a bit slower than the previous day; snow was a tad "peely." The course did not speed up and it appeared as if the earlier racers, 1-12, had the best conditions for the day; some snow and wind for the latter part of the race created challenges for the racers. Speeds for the course in the lower 120s KPH.

Kilde and Svindal were 4th & 5th today. The Big 3 Attacking Vikings look strong and ready for the season. Also, Reichelt looked solid as well; he may be getting on in years, but he has the knowledge of the tracks and really nails those long turns (something that Bode pointed out about his skiing last year). He should be a force this season as well. The Speed Italians, Innerhofer, Paris, and Fill, were 6, 7, & 8.

Both announcers did a solid job calling both the DH/SG races.

 

[Jilly]

Don't know what's up with Erik Guay. Tweaked his back they're saying.

Dustin made the Olympic team with his 11th place!!

 

[hbear]

Word is he pulled/tweaked a muscle in the back. Too bad as sounds like he was quite strong and healthy going into the season.

 

[Tricia]

I couldn't find a place to watch the Lake Louise Downhill. Hopefully I'll see some highlights.

 

[SkiSpeed]

Enjoy!

 

[Jim McDonald]

 

[SkiSpeed]

Link to SG; after you hit link, just click on the must watch on YouTube and it will magically take you there.

As an aside, I really enjoy these announcers: Masterpiece Theater meets WC ski racing,

 

[Tricia]

That was cool. I went do youtube, which prompted me to subscribe. I didn't do anything, then the video started. Still running 1.5 hr video of the race.

*for a minute, I thought I was listening to @ScotsSkier

 

[Tricia]

That course looks rough!!

 

[James]

It's cool to be able to watch the Killington race with different announcers.
Same network:

 

[Frankly]

That announcer is so comforting after the shrill NBC coverage

 

[scott43]

Anddd...M.M. Gagnon dislocated her shoulder and blew out her ACL today..done for the year..

 

[Muleski]

Anddd...M.M. Gagnon dislocated her shoulder and blew out her ACL today..done for the year..

Actually, yesterday in the training run. They initially had hoped no ligament damage to the knee. The shoulder has been "oft injured."
So reconstructive surgery of both her knee and her shoulder. That will be a bit of rehab.

Best of luck to Mitch with the surgery and rehab.

 

[Rudi Riet]

Well that blows for Mitch.

 

[Blue Streak]

WOW!
What a fantastic result for Mikaela!

 

[Tricia]

We just watched the Lake Louise Women's DH.
Holy crap those women are energized!
Sorry to see Lindsey Vonn Crash but she says she's okay and will be back on the mountain tomorrow.
The light was really flat, that's for sure.

 

[James]

Lindsey's crash didn't look so great. She did a split and her right leg folded. She skied off by herself. It could be fine or she could have damaged ligaments. Neither would be a surprise. If she truly is fine it could be good for her to overcome the crash. I bet she's pissed to wipe in that section.

The crash was way near the bottom. She went through the first two fences and stopped in the third. She had smoked the top and at one point was .5 sec ahead but when she crash she was only .05 ahead. I suspect she would have lost all that but have gotten second. A bunch had small issues with rollers or the jump at the bottom. Maybe from visibility.

 

[Frankly]

Yeah I think she would have lost another 0.1 by the finish so in a way this saves her from the embarrassment of a second on "her" hill. And it preserved MS's third so all the better.

Looking forward to seeing what she does tomorrow. And really looking forward to what MS and Jackie Whiles do tomorrow....

What Wiles did deserves more attention.