Men's Super G in Whistler (CAN)

Ski2b 21.02.2008 21:25 Uhr

11:04:

The men will start the Super G in Whistler today at 7.45 p.m. and therefore the test for the Olympic Games 2010 will then begin.



19:22:

Hello and welcome to the men's Super-G in Whistler. The race will start at 7.45p.m.



19:27:

Scheduled for today is the first of altogether four races in Whistler. This is as well a dress rehearsal for Olympia 2010.



19:30:

Two men- and two women races are scheduled for the upcoming days. Today's men's Super-G starts first.



19:32:

The weather conditions in Whistler are currently good. The sun is shining and the temperatures are slightly below freezing point.



19:33 - Büchel, Marco (LIE):

Marco Buechel, who won the last Super-G in Kitzbuehel, surely belongs to today's favorites.



19:36 - Cuche, Didier (SUI):

The Swiss Didier Cuche is currently leading the Super-G-standings. He will also still have a little chance in the overall World Cup if he wins today.



19:37 - Miller, Bode (USA):

A further favorite is the US-American Bode Miller, current leader of the overall World Cup standings.



19:41 - Maier, Hermann (AUT):

How will Hermann Maier do today? He achieved a sensational second place in Super-G in Kitzbuehel.



19:43 - Raich, Benjamin (AUT):

The Austrian Benjamin Raich is a further favorite for today's race. He will compete against Bode Miller for the overall World Cup.



19:45 - Neureuther, Felix (GER):

All in all two Germans are on today's starting list. Beside Stephan Keppler also Felix Neureuther will attend the Super-G in anticipation of Olympia 2010.



19:46 - Hoffmann, Ambrosi (SUI):

The Swiss Ambrosi Hoffmann will open the race at any moment.



19:49:

It takes some further minutes until the race will get started because they are still working on the slope.



19:56 - Hoffmann, Ambrosi (SUI):

There was the starting shot! Already at the beginning of the course there are some perfidies and it's steep. There are many turnarounds and terrain transitions on the course. Hoffmann clocks the first time, but his run wasn't perfect.



19:58 - Gorza, Ales (SLO):

At the upper section Gorza is clearly better than Hoffmann and he's leading. The Slovenian manages the transitions very well and covers the course in a good time.



19:59 - Dixon, Robbie (CAN):

Big mistake at the very beginning, the time is gone. The Canadian lost all chances for a top place.



20:01 - Girardi, Walter (ITA):

Also the Italian Girardi is trying hard at the transitions and immediatley drops back way behind. At the finish, the Italian clearly lags behind.



20:03 - Bourque, Francois (CAN):

And yet another Canadian. But he too, is in big problems at the upper section and loses his speed. At the upper section Bourque is almost behind with seven tenth. Second place currently.



20:04 - Albrecht, Daniel (SUI):

Now for the Swiss Daniel Albrecht. He soon gets off the ideal line. It's not enough for the best time.



20:06 - Görgl, Stephan (AUT):

Now for two Austrians in a row. Stephan Goergl goes first. He's well performing at the top and he's fast. But then some mistakes and he drops back again.



20:08 - Reichelt, Hannes (AUT):

Reichelt already won the Super-G in Beaver Creek and here, too, he's doing great again. In the Fall Away he delivers a good run despite some little mistakes below. He sets up the new best time.



20:10 - Defago, Didier (SUI):

At the top the Swiss doesn't find the right rhythm. But he's good at the middle section and makes up for some time there. All in all third place currently.



20:11 - Streitberger, Georg (AUT):

The Austrian Streitberger is again having some problems today. Fourth place for him.



20:13 - Walchhofer, Michael (AUT):

Walchhofer didn't get back to his form, yet. He's not aggressive enough and loses a great deal of time. He's still slighty suffering from his cold.



20:16 - Fill, Peter (ITA):

Peter Fill in contrast is slowly getting back to his form. But here the Italian has a severe crash and he's flying through the air. No chance left.



20:18 - Fill, Peter (ITA):

It looked severe but Fill is already standing again. He's already waving to the audience again.



20:19 - Kucera, John (CAN):

Kucera reaches the finish with a lag of almost one second. He was skiing way to cautiously and therefore had no chance.



20:22 - Guay, Erik (CAN):

Guay was close to setting up a new best time. At the finish he's behind with only 0,29 seconds. That's third place currently. The Canadian is content with his run. He was especially high performing at the last section.



20:23 - Staudacher, Patrick (ITA):

World Champion Staudacher with too many little mistakes. He's doing better at the last section and therefore still finishes in third place.



20:25 - Raich, Benjamin (AUT):

So it's the Austrian Hannes Reichelt leading after the first 15 racers. But now for the favorites. Benjamin Raich goes first.



20:26 - Raich, Benjamin (AUT):

Raich is on a good way at the upper section and close to underbid the best time. But he's trying hard with the transitions and loses time there. Sixth place for him so far.



20:29 - Scheiber, Mario (AUT):

At the upper section Scheiber totally loses his ideal line. Still a good time though. He finishes just barely ahead of Raich.



20:31 - Miller, Bode (USA):

But now for Bode Miller! What a wild run again, but it's simply too direct. That can't go well. He loses time and then he's out. That was too aggressive.



20:34 - Gruber, Christoph (AUT):

So Miller dropped out of the race, how will Gruber do now? He delivers a good run just like Gorza's. The Austrian takes over the lead!



20:35 - Cuche, Didier (SUI):

Cuche is speeding at the top. Just slighty behind at the intermediate time...



20:37 - Cuche, Didier (SUI):

... but he's losing his speed below and therefore drops back. Seventh place for the Swiss currently.



20:39 - Büchel, Marco (LIE):

Now for the last winner in Kitzbuehel. Good start, but also Buechel is too passive below and falls behind. Currently ninth place only.



20:41 - Maier, Hermann (AUT):

Maier loses almost sixth tenth at the top already. Then he makes an inside ski mistake and he's out.



20:44 - Gruber, Christoph (AUT):

All actual top favorites are through by now and it looks just like Gruber will win. Hannes Reichelt is currently ranked second ahead of Ales Gorza. Is that already today's podium?



20:45 - Nyman, Steven (USA):

Steven Nyman's run looks a little cautious and also makes him clearly drop back. At the finish he's only ranked 18th.



20:47 - Keppler, Stephan (GER):

Now for the first German. But already at the top Keppler is behind with seven tenth and during his run he loses more and more time. At the finish he lags behind with 1.72 seconds.



20:48 - Grünenfelder, Tobias (SUI):

Gruenenfelder has big problems in the middle section. He just manages to stay on the course but loses time instead.



20:51 - Heel, Werner (ITA):

At the upper section Heel gives all risk and soon gets rewarded. He's really fast but the risk is too big just like it was at Miller's run. Place 22nd for the Italian.



20:52 - Sullivan, Marco (USA):

Sullivan is the next drop-out , he missed a gate.



20:54 - Lanzinger, Matthias (AUT):

Also Lanzinger gets way off the course below and loses a great deal of time. He definetely could have finished among the top ten if it wasn't for the mistakes below.



20:56 - Jerman, Andrej (SLO):

One Slovenian is standing on the podium, how will Jerman do now? No, that's not his run, yet. He gets off the ideal line several times and therefore drops way back.



20:57 - Innerhofer, Christof (ITA):

Also Innerhofer has some problems with the course. He falls way behind, too. But the Italalian will surely get ahead the next years.



21:00 - Gruber, Christoph (AUT):

The first 30 athletes are now through with their run. The victory is already certain and will probably go to Gruber ahead of Reichelt. That's a double victory for the Austrians!



21:01 - Kostelic, Ivica (CRO):

Kostelic is in a good form and proves it once again today. Usually he's not a speed racer but here he still finishes in eights place.



21:03 - Ligety, Ted (USA):

Ted Ligety drops-out. He missed a gate at the Fall Away and didn't see the finish line.



21:04 - Mölgg, Manfred (ITA):

Manfred Moelgg finishes in 17th place. That's a good result for the technical specialist.



21:06 - Brand, Olivier (SUI):

Now for Brand, who is leading the Europa Cup standings. But the Swiss doesn't come along with the course and finishes in 29th place. He probably won't get any points today.



21:10 - Dalcin, Pierre-Emmanuel (FRA):

Dalcin misses the points after a botched run and of course the Frenchman isn't content at all. At the finish he's shaking his head.



21:12 - Gruber, Christoph (AUT):

That was it for the men's Super-G in Whistler. Congratulation to the winner Christoph Gruber!



21:14 - Gorza, Ales (SLO):

Second place goes to Hannes Reichelt followed by Ales Gorza who achieved his first World Cup podium place today. Congratulation to the Slovenian for this performance!



21:16:

The upcoming men's giant slalom is scheduled for February 23rd and takes place in Whistler. The first heat will start at 7:00p.m. (CET). We'll be back in time to report on it. See you!