Watching the World Cup races

[Christy]

The Super G today was so exciting. Definitely one that separated the true Super G stars from the rest, and I love that Lara won. I do hate to see so many DNF/DSQ but boy the women that did well earned it. And another 3rd for Breezy yesterday! She said she watched Lindsey Vonn's 2007 race at St Anton 300 times as prep.

I always love Adelboden though it is different with no fans. Tommy Ford's crash though. That was hard to watch.

In other recent men's news, Linus Strausser crying nonstop after the Zagreb race and on the podium after being crowded Snow King...aww. I love seeing a veteran skier get their first win.

 

[teppaz]

I'd recommend today's Super G in St. Anton to anybody who'd like to start watching ski racing!

What a fun race to watch. There was real suspense because anybody with a clean run could have overtaken Gut-Behrami but nobody pulled it off. I was super-happy to see her win though — it hasn't been easy since she came back from that dumb injury. Happy for Bassino too, she's quickly becoming a favorite.

Adelboden is among my faves on the men's circuit. That moment when they turn into the last stretch and face the screaming fans (when there are fans) is just breathtaking. Pinturault made the GS look easy; admittedly I might be biased because I'm French...

 

[Christy]

Pinturault made the GS look easy; admittedly I might be biased because I'm French...

He DID make it look easy! He was in a class by himself.

One of these years we will take a trip to see both Adelboden and Wengen. It's a nice back to back combo.

 

[Christy]

On, shoot! Wengen races canceled due to Covid cases in Bern. :(

 

[teppaz]

I realize for most here the big news is that Shiffrin won the Flachau slalom — and it is, no doubt about it. She had that steely look that had disappeared for a while. And she beat Hirscher's victory records, with Vonn's next.

For me, though, it was another big heartbreaking disappointment of behalf of Wendy Holdener, who was 3rd. I love watching Wendy ski + she has 25 podiums and has never won a slalom, her signature event. She had an opening last season when Shiffrin withdrew from the World Cup to grieve for her dad, but she couldn't capitalize on it. I'm not sure a slalom victory is in the cards at this point, not with Shiffrin, Vlhova and Liensberg being so dialed in.

Overall an exciting season! As much as I love watching Shiffrin win, it's a lot more fun when the field is open to challengers.

 

[Christy]

I was so happy to see Mikaela win--it has been over a year since she last won a slalom. Going ahead of Hirscher on the all-time list at age 25 is astounding. But I too feel for Wendy and would love to see her win. I does seem as if she is slipping a bit though. There have been more 4ths, a 5th, a 6th...Maybe she can take inspiration from Franzi Aufdenblatten, who got her win after 200 races.

I wondered if Petra was feeling a bit tired after the speed events. That is a grueling schedule when you do it all.

How exciting was it to see Camille Rast, starting 57th (!!!) sit in the leader's chair and finally finish 6th?

 

[teppaz]

Fantastic showing from Camille Rast indeed. Need to keep an eye on her.

I also think that Petra was tired after the speed events. I'm not sure why she insists on doing downhills now. Clearly she wants to get points for the overall rankings but I don't think she scores enough of them to make it worthwhile. She risks tiredness (or worse) for what, 8 points?

I hope Wendy finally gets a slalom win but my hope is fading. She was a regular on podiums but you're right, now it tends to be 4-8.

 

[teppaz]

Not Alpine but for something grueling, watch the Final Climb cross-country race at Val di Fiemme. It ends with a brutal 2.3 mile ascent with a maximum grade of 28%. Especially great to watch this year because an American woman has won the Tour de Ski for the first time ever.

 

[Christy]

Not Alpine but for something grueling, watch the Final Climb cross-country race at Val di Fiemme. It ends with a brutal 2.3 mile ascent with a maximum grade of 28%. Especially great to watch this year because an American woman has won the Tour de Ski for the first time ever.

I looked for this on the channel that shows alpine skiing and didn't see it, which was disappointing. I know Jessie Diggins has had some very good races lately and I was hoping to find a broadcast of any of these with the commentator (Chad Salmela) that called her Olympics race--for many of us this became the most exciting thing we watched in the 2018 winter Olympics.

 

[Christy]

I also think that Petra was tired after the speed events. I'm not sure why she insists on doing downhills now. Clearly she wants to get points for the overall rankings but I don't think she scores enough of them to make it worthwhile. She risks tiredness (or worse) for what, 8 points?

I have always assumed that any successful younger skier will want to develop her/his skills in the speed races. Unless that is an older way of thinking, and skiers are more likely to stay in their specialty now?

 

[teppaz]

I looked for this on the channel that shows alpine skiing and didn't see it, which was disappointing. I know Jessie Diggins has had some very good races lately and I was hoping to find a broadcast of any of these with the commentator (Chad Salmela) that called her Olympics race--for many of us this became the most exciting thing we watched in the 2018 winter Olympics.

I've been watching on Peacock. It's a feed with no commentary. They carry alpine, cross-country, biathlon, ski and snowboard cross, big air, etc.

 

[teppaz]

I have always assumed that any successful younger skier will want to develop her/his skills in the speed races. Unless that is an older way of thinking, and skiers are more likely to stay in their specialty now?

I'm no expert but I feel more are entering both tech and speed races, though perhaps not the "extremes" like the slalom or the downhill. The super-specialized (remember Veronika Velez-Zuzulova?) are few, though I might be completely wrong.
It also depends on whether they think entering more races will help them for the overall. Why else would someone like Goggia do a slalom or even a GS?
That said, I'm not sure we'll ever see a dominant all-rounder like Tina Maze again. The schedule is so intense that training and racing in all four (five if you count the combined) races is daunting.

 

[teppaz]

Nail-biter women's GS!

A fantastic second run from Tessa Worley and another podium from Gisin, who's getting closer and closer to Vlhova in the overall and appears to be coping well with the stress of doing tech and speed races. Shiffrin mostly lacks fire this season.

 

[Cyclone6]

I've just gotten into watching the world cup races this year, when I discovered I can watch them on Peacock. I usually only watch ski races when the Olympics are on. In the GS today, I noticed one of the skiers (can't remember who) had some kind of bar/bracket thing that connected to the front of her bindings and extended to the tip of the ski. Anyone know what this is for? I'm guessing to make the ski more stiff?

 

[Jilly]

Well our CBC is showing the races, later in the day. Watched the men's slalom while I worked away on my Paddle erg. Couple of gates were very oddly placed! But a Brit that learned on the carpet came in 4th.

 

[teppaz]

I've just gotten into watching the world cup races this year, when I discovered I can watch them on Peacock. I usually only watch ski races when the Olympics are on. In the GS today, I noticed one of the skiers (can't remember who) had some kind of bar/bracket thing that connected to the front of her bindings and extended to the tip of the ski. Anyone know what this is for? I'm guessing to make the ski more stiff?

I think you're referring to Tessa Worley's skis. Something like this, right? I'm no techie but I think it's some kind of shock-absorbing system

 

[Cyclone6]

I think you're referring to Tessa Worley's skis. Something like this, right? I'm no techie but I think it's some kind of shock-absorbing system

Yes! That would make sense. I wonder how much of a difference it makes.

 

[HikenSki]

Nail-biter women's GS!

A fantastic second run from Tessa Worley and another podium from Gisin, who's getting closer and closer to Vlhova in the overall and appears to be coping well with the stress of doing tech and speed races. Shiffrin mostly lacks fire this season.

Definitely an awesome race. Agree, Shiffrin lacks the fire she used to have. She just looked slow, reserved. Some skiers just look so graceful, others look so rough and on the edge of control, and yet both styles win races. Really just depends on the terrain which style is better fit.

 

[teppaz]

Yes! That would make sense. I wonder how much of a difference it makes.

It’d better be good for $2,300! I think Rossignol is the only one with these rods. Volkl uses a round dampener near the tips of its race skis

 

[teppaz]

Definitely an awesome race. Agree, Shiffrin lacks the fire she used to have. She just looked slow, reserved. Some skiers just look so graceful, others look so rough and on the edge of control, and yet both styles win races. Really just depends on the terrain which style is better fit.

Did you notice the very end of Shiffrin’s second run? She just glided to the finish line. Considering the time margins in the sport, it was weird for her to not even push.