Men's Downhill in Lake Louise (CAN) 2007

Ski2b 26.11.2007 11:25 Uhr

19:06:

Welcome to the men's first downhill competition of this winter! The race in Lake Louise (CAN) is scheduled for 7.30 p.m. (CET).



19:17:

It's the first downhill competition of this Worldcup period, and it's a premiere: It's the first time that we will see the new start mode.



19:19:

The best speed skiers don't have the bibs 25 to 30 anymore, the best 15 in the world ranking are now on the starting positions 8 to 22.



19:21:

Due to lack of snow, the course was shortened. The start is now about 300 meters below where it used to be.



19:21:

With little snow, the conditions are not too easy. There are quite a few ripples on the course.



19:22 - Cuche, Didier (SUI):

Didier Cuche dominated the first training on the course. In the final training he was 4th.



19:23 - Hudec, Jan (CAN):

Jan Hudec was the surprise in the final training session. He was faster there than anyone else.



19:26 - Miller, Bode (USA):

Bode Miller reached the 3rd postition in the final training session yesterday. He hit the headlines lately, talking about the legalization of doping.



19:27 - Walchhofer, Michael (AUT):

The Austrians were strong yesterday, too, with Michael Walchhofer on the 5th postition.



19:29 - Maier, Hermann (AUT):

We are also looking forward to Hermann Maier's performance. He changed his equipment in the summer and is getting along well with the new material so far.



19:30:

Last year, Marco Büchel was the winner in the Lake Louise downhill. Can he repeat this today?



19:31:

It's icy on the course. The temperature is -10 degrees °C at the start.



19:32 - Zurbriggen, Silvan (SUI):

The first skier is on the course! Silvan Zurbriggen opens today's race.



19:33 - Zurbriggen, Silvan (SUI):

1:45.00, that's the first time today. The next athletes will show what this time is worth.



19:34 - Sullivan, Marco (USA):

Next is Marco Sullivan. 130.6 km/h top speed, the American is on a good run. He is almost two seconds faster in the finish and takes over the lead.



19:37 - Macartney, Scott (USA):

Another US-boy is on the course, Scott Macartney. He begins well, but makes a little mistake then. Macartney is 1.22 seconds behind in the finish.



19:38 - Heel, Werner (ITA):

Werner Heel is on the track now. He is close behind at the first intermediates, and can even reduce his margin a little in the last part. 0.22 seconds behind Sullivan, he comes in on the second position.



19:39 - Hudec, Jan (CAN):

Jan Hudec now, best skier in the final training session. Can he keep that good shape up?



19:39 - Hudec, Jan (CAN):

Hudec is only 0.01 seconds behind at the second intermediate. A higher top speed than Sullivan, is that enough to take the lead?



19:40 - Hudec, Jan (CAN):

It is! Jan Hudec is 0.24 seconds ahead in the finish. The crowd is cheering.



19:42 - Grünenfelder, Tobias (SUI):

Tobias Grünenfelder is the first Swiss on the course. He can't kick Hudec off the top, Grünfelder is on the 3rd position currently.



19:44 - Sulzenbacher, Kurt (ITA):

Another Italian now, Kurt Sulzenbacher. He is ahead at the first intermediates, but can't keep that speed up. In the finish he is third, 0.5 seconds behind.



19:47 - Scheiber, Mario (AUT):

Mario Scheiber is on the course. The Austrian is on a good run in the upper part. His margin grows in the final part though, and he is 6th in the finish.



19:48 - Nyman, Steven (USA):

Steven Nyman is the third US-boy for today already. He takes over the 6th position.



19:51 - Osborne-Paradis, Manuel (CAN):

The crowd is cheering again, another local athlete is next. Manuel Osborne-Paradis begins well, but then in the Super G part and the Fallaway he loses time. He is 9th currently.



19:54 - Gruber, Christoph (AUT):

Christoph Gruber shows a good performance in the Super G part, he is ahead at the intermediates. He loses speed then and is 0.6 seconds behind in the finish.



19:54 - Maier, Hermann (AUT):

What about Hermann Maier now, how is the routined Austrian's shape?



19:55 - Maier, Hermann (AUT):

Fast in the first part, and the Super G section looks good as well. Nevertheless he is losing time - about a second behind in the finish.



19:59 - Jerman, Andrej (SLO):

Andrej Jerman has a small leap after the first intermediates. The Super G part makes him lose some time though, and he is 7th in the finish.



20:00 - Hoffmann, Ambrosi (SUI):

Ambrosi Hoffmann is 0.2 seconds behind after the upper part already. A mistake after the Fallaway then - the Swiss is 1.6 seconds behind in the finish.



20:02 - Dalcin, Pierre-Emmanuel (FRA):

The wind is getting stronger. Pierre-Emmanuel Dalcin fights with the wind, like Hoffmann. He is 1.4 seconds behind in the finish.



20:04 - Miller, Bode (USA):

Bode Miller is next. Will he confirm his good training results?



20:05 - Miller, Bode (USA):

Miller loses 0.3 seconds on the first metres of the course already! He, too, suffers from the strong wind in the Super G section. His Fallaway performance is impressive though, he catches up there.



20:06 - Miller, Bode (USA):

But in the final part Miller loses time again, and is about a second behind Hudec in the finish. Can the Canadian win this race?



20:08 - Guay, Erik (CAN):

The next local athlete is Erik Guay. A good performance in the upper part, he is ahead of Hudec there. Some time is lost in the Super G section though. A good race in the Fallaway, and a good top speed as well. Guay is 10th in the finish, 0.9 seconds behind his teammate.



20:08 - Büchel, Marco (LIE):

Marco Büchel, last year's winner, is on the course now.



20:12 - Büchel, Marco (LIE):

Like so many athletes before, Büchel suffers from the wind in the Super G section. The speed isn't high enough either, he is 7th in the finish.



20:13 - Fill, Peter (ITA):

This downhill track is not Peter Fill's favorite. He is 0.7 seconds behind after the Super G section already, and has diffiulties after the Fallaway, too. He is 19th in the finish.



20:14 - Walchhofer, Michael (AUT):

Michael Walchhofer is the Austrian hope today. He shows a good performance in the first part, is not far behind at the first intermediates. He looks good in the following sections as well, but is not fast enough. Walchhofer is 12 in the finish.



20:16 - Cuche, Didier (SUI):

Didier Cuche won the downhill World Cup last year. The Swiss fights hard in the Super G sections, but nevertheless loses some time there. A better performance in the Fallaway, but the speed isn't high enough for a top result. Cuche is 12th currently.



20:20 - Svindal, Aksel Lund (NOR):

Aksel Lund Svindal is behind after the first part already. His margin grows: he is 12th in the finish, equal to Cuche.



20:21 - Hudec, Jan (CAN):

Looks like a sensational Canadian victory: Jan Hudec is still in front, leading 0.24 seconds ahead of Marco Sullivan.



20:23 - Bertrand, Yannick (FRA):

Yannick Bertrand with a solid performance: The French comes in on the 17th position.



20:24 - Defago, Didier (SUI):

Didier Defago is next. The Swiss finishes his race on the 17th position, Hudec is still in front.



20:28 - Kröll, Klaus (AUT):

Klaus Kröll was second in yesterday's final training session. The Austrian is 1.5 seconds behind in the finish.



20:28 - Bottollier-Lasquin, Marc (FRA):

Marc Bottollier-Lasquin is the first drop-out today: The French misses a gate.



20:33 - Raich, Benjamin (AUT):

Benni Raich is over a second behind after the first part already. In the end the slalom specialist is over 2 seconds behind.



20:37 - Clarey, Johan (FRA):

Now the wind is gone - that is Johan Clarey's chance. He is good at the intermediates, but the speed isn't high enough to reach the top ten.



20:39 - Grugger, Hans (AUT):

Hans Grugger is too far away from the gates, as his time shows. That's the 29th position for the Austrian.



20:44 - Streitberger, Georg (AUT):

Georg Streitberger is the second last Austrian athlete today. A solid performance, he is 7th in the finish. That's the second best Austrian today.



20:46 - Theaux, Adrien (FRA):

The weather is getting better, the sun is shining over the Super G section now. Adrien Theaux uses these improved conditions for a very good result: The French is 7th currently.



20:50 - Perko, Rok (SLO):

Rok Perko is the second one to ski out today. He misses a gate and drops out.



20:54 - Kucera, John (CAN):

It's getting loud again on the course: John Kucera is next. Last year he won the Super G in Lake Louise - now he is 7th.



20:58 - Keppler, Stephan (GER):

Stephan Keppler is on the course. The German is far off the ideal line. His margin is big in the end, he finishes the race on the 43rd position.



21:00:

Congratulations Jan Hudec. The Canadian wins the race, ahead of Marc Sullivan and Andreas Buder.



21:01:

That was the liveticker coverage of the men's first downhill World Cup race in Lake Louise. The next men's race is tomorrow already, 25th of October. The Super-G competition is scheduled for 7.30 p.m. (CET), see you then!