WENGEN, Switzerland (Jan. 15, 2016) – Jared Goldberg (Holladay, UT) was the top placed American in Friday’s Audi FIS Ski World Cup Alpine combined event, but like the rest of the team, he chalked this one up as another training run for Saturday’s main event – the Lauberhorn downhill.
Andrew Weibrecht competes during the Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup Combined on January 15, 2016 in Wengen, Switzerland. Weibrecht straddled a gate in the afternoon slalom. (Getty/AFP- Alexis Boichard)
“Today was a good day, just like another training run all the way down,” Goldberg said after finishing 12th. “I felt good, I was charging out of the start. Overall, I skied balanced and I'm ready for the next one.”
Norway took the top two steps of the podium with Kjetil Jansrud taking his first career World Cup combined victory, and Aksel Lund Svindal in second. France’s Adrien Theaux was third. Svindal remains second in the overall World Cup standings, but is now only 85 points behind Austria’s Marcel Hirscher, who did not compete in Friday’s event, and is not scheduled to race in Saturday’s downhill.
Steven Nyman competes in the slalom portion of the Audi FIS Alpine World Cup combined event on January 15, 2016 in Wengen. Nyman just missed scoring World Cup points, finishing 32nd. (Getty/AFP-Fabrice Coffrini)
For the rest of the Americans, Bryce Bennett (Squaw Valley, CA) was 22nd, Steven Nyman (Sundance, UT) was 32nd and Tim Jitloff was 36th (Reno, NV). Ted Ligety (Park City, UT) and Andrew Weibrecht (Lake Placid, NY) did not finish the slalom portion. However, Weibrecht was 17th in the downhill portion and Ligety was 38th.
“It was really nice to get a second training run, just to get on the track one more time since we only had the one (training run Thursday),” Weibrecht said. “So I’m really looking forward to tomorrow.
“I dialed in the top pretty good today,” he continued. “I skied the bottom a little bit better, so I should be good to go.”
Saturday’s downhill on the classic Lauberhorn track may be run from the original start, weather and snow conditions permitting. Thursday training run and Friday’s combined downhill were both started from the lower combined downhill start position. If Saturday’s downhill features the full 4.48 km (2.78 miles) track, a second official downhill training run will take place prior to the downhill race.
“I would love to go from the top, that’s the real Lauberhorn,” Goldberg said. “I’m all for it if they can do it. It's not going to really mess up our day too much time wise, so It would be really fun if they can do it.”
Joining Goldberg, Bennett, Weibrecht, Nyman, in Saturday’s downhill will be Marco Sullivan (Squaw Valley, CA), Travis Ganong (Squaw Valley, CA) and Wiley Maple (Aspen, CO).
Saturday’s Lauberhorn downhill is scheduled for 6:30 a.m. (EST) and will be broadcast live on NBCSN. The race will re-air on NBC at 3:30 p.m. (EST)
HIGHLIGHTS
- Kjetil Jansrud won his first career World Cup combined event, and his 12th World Cup victory.
- Jared Goldberg was the top American in 12th. His previous career best World Cup combined results was 11th at Kitzbuehel, Austria in 2014.
- Saturday’s Lauberhorn downhill is scheduled for 6:30 a.m. (EST) and will be broadcast live on NBCSN. The race will re-air on NBC at 3:30 p.m. (EST)
QUOTES
Andrew Weibrecht
It was really nice to get a second training run, just to get on the track one more time since we only had the one (training run Thursday). So I’m really looking forward to tomorrow.
I dialed in the top pretty good today. I skied the bottom a little bit better, so I should be good to go.
Jared Goldberg
Today was a good day. Just like another training run all the way down. I felt good, I was charging out of the start. Overall, I skied balanced and I'm ready for the next one.
I learned a bunch today. Being able to run No. 1 today, the course was buff! Instead of following tracks, I could see how the course ran the fastest through the turns and get a good feeling. Not that I’ve got a couple runs under my belt, it’s a good confidence builder for tomorrow.
I would love to go from the top, that’s the real Lauberhorn. I’m all for it if they can do it. It’s not going to really mess up our day too much time wise, so It would be really fun if they can do it.
BROADCAST AND LIVE STREAMING (times EST)
Friday, Jan. 15
8:00 p.m. - Men’s Combined, Wengen - Universal HD
Saturday, Jan. 16
6:30 a.m. - Men’s Downhill, Wengen - LIVE - NBCSN
3:30 p.m. - Men’s Downhill (re-air), Wengen - NBC
Sunday, Jan. 17
4:30 a.m. - Men’s Slalom Run 1, Wengen - LIVE STREAM
7:30 a.m. - Men’s Slalom Run 2, Wengen - LIVE STREAM
RESULTS
Men’s downhill combined
Men’s overall combined
