KITTILÄ, Finland (Nov. 13, 2016) - A disappointing result turned into a positive perspective for the U.S. men’s technical squad at the opening slalom event of the Audi FIS Ski World Cup.
America’s top slalom skier David Chodounsky (Crested Butte, CO) failed to finish his first run as the cold, aggressive surface got the best of him. But he vowed to come back strong for the second World Cup slalom December 11th in Val d’Isere, France.
“I just made a mistake,” Chodounsky said. “I’m skiing well, but I just need to focus on the right things. I’ll come back strong next race.”
“Daver made an uncharacteristic mistake,” said Ian Lochhead, men’s U.S. World Cup slalom coach. “Good splits on top. Nothing to worry about, he'll be ready for Val d'Isere.”
However, Lochhead said that the team and coaching staff must be better prepared for the next World Cup slalom, but noted that they are on the cusp of skiing right up there with the top racers.
“The guys skied fast in training all week with several other teams, and I need to do a better job of making sure they're ready to go on race day,” Lochhead said. “They've been doing great and working hard. If I do better, they'll do better. I've lost no faith in them, and believe that they can ski fast at World Cups, and we need to figure out how to help them do that week in week out.”
Austria’s Marcel Hirscher crushed the field for his first slalom World Cup win of the season, finishing 1.30 seconds ahead of countryman Michael Matt. Italy’s Manfred Moelgg rounded out the podium in third, just 0.01 second behind Matt.
Hirscher battled hard for Sunday’s victory. First he suffered an infection of the inner ear and wasn’t sure he would even be able to participate in the race. Then, as many other athletes, he experienced iced up goggles in the first run, because of the frozen fog that was sitting in the upper part of the course. But he laid down a super-aggressive second run to take his 40th World Cup victory.
No Americans qualified for the second run. In the first run, Michael Ankeny (Deephaven, MN) was the top placed U.S. skier in 44th; Robby Kelley (Starksboro, VT) was 58th.
Next up, the speed teams kick off their World Cup season at Lake Louise, Canada with downhill and super G races scheduled for Nov. 26-27, followed by the Birds of Prey downhill and super G races at Beaver Creek, CO December 3-4. The tech teams return to action with giant slalom and slalom events Dec. 10 and 11 at Val d’Isere, France.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Austria’s Marcel Hirscher won his 40th World Cup event Sunday.
- Hirscher’s margin of victory was 1.30 seconds over countryman Michael Matt.
- Michael Ankeny (Deephaven, MN) was the top placed U.S. skier in 44th.
- The tech teams return to action with giant slalom and slalom events Dec. 10 and 11 at Val d’Isere, France.
- Last season David Chodounsky (Crested Butte, CO) snagged his career-best finish with fourth place in Val d’Isere.
QUOTES
David Chodounsky
I was skiing well up top. I had a little trouble with the snow. It was pretty aggressive…I just leaned in and that was it.
I just made a mistake. I’m skiing well, but I just need to focus on the right things. I’ll come back strong next race.
Ian Lochhead – Head World Cup Slalom Coach
Daver made an uncharacteristic mistake. Good splits on top. Nothing to worry about, he'll be ready for Val d'Isere.
The guys skied fast in training all week with several other teams, and I need to do a better job of making sure they're ready to go on race day. They've been doing great and working hard. If I do better, they'll do better. I've lost no faith in them, and believe that they can ski fast at World Cups, and we need to figure out how to help them do that week in week out.
Course held up great from bib 1 until the end. Snow on the pitch was very grippy which contributed to some of the DNFs...very disappointing to miss that opportunity with such good conditions.
TV SCHEDULE
Sunday, Nov. 13 – men’s slalom – Universal HD, 2:00 p.m. ET
RESULTS
Men’s Slalom
