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Nordic Combined and Alpine skiing weekend review
The FIS Nordic Combined and Alpine Skiing World Cups results.
Eric Frenzel keeps on winning
Ramsau am Dachstein's Individual Gundersen competition went to Eric Frenzel. The German claimed his third win this season 5.3 seconds ahead of Haavard Klemetsen (NOR). The podium was completed by Mikko Kokslien (NOR).
In ski jumping, Klemetsen reigned supreme again. The 34-year-old veteran jumped 96,5 metres and in slightly varying wind conditions over the whole round, this meant 134,8 points and the pole position for the cross-country race. German youngster Tobias Haug claimed the leader board for most of the ski jumping round, only having to make space for Klemetsen in the end. Haug showed strong 95 metres and with a total of 133,1 points this meant 7 seconds of time behind to Klemetsen. Breathing down their necks was Frenzel who claimed an intermediate rank three with 94,5 metres and set himself up for the race with only eight seconds of time disadvantage.
Jason Lamy Chappuis and Jørgen Graabak did not have good jumps. The Frenchman landed at 87 metres which meant an intermediate 35th rank and Graabak had an unsuccessful attempt of only 81 metres. As the differences between jumpers were not so big on the small hill, Lamy Chappuis started with a time behind of +1:17 and Graabak with the wave start at +1:50.
The longest jump of the competition went to Yoshito Watabe who jumped 98 metres but was not able to set a full telemark which cost him style points. In the end, the ranked fifth after the jump.
In the race, a big leading group consisting of up to ten athletes formed quickly after the first 2,5 kilometre lap. A pursuing group containing the fast skiers Magnus Krog, Mario Stecher, Fabian Rießle and Mikko Kokslien also formed quite quickly but were about 17 seconds behind the leaders until the last lap when all of the athletes gave everything in the fight for positions.
In the end, Frenzel managed to open up a gap on the last lap and skied an undisputed victory into the finish while Norwegians Klemetsen, Kokslien and Krog as well as Japan's Akito Watabe and Gemany's Fabian Rießle sprinted for the remaining podium places. Klemetsen and Kokslien were the strongest ones, making it the second double podium for Norway in two days. Rießle on six and Rydzek on ten completed a good German team result, as the German team, like the Norwegians, managed to place three athletes in the Top Ten. Lukas Klapfer saved the Austrian honour on rank eight.
Now, the Nordic Combined World Cup will move to Schonach, Germany for one last pre-Christmas stop before heading to the depths of Russia after New Year.
***
Mario Matt wins for a record 14th time
VAL D’ISERE, France – It’s the second day of racing on the Face de Bellevarde and the conditions didn’t get any easier compared to Saturday’s giant slalom race. The best example of how difficult and icy the Val d’Isere slope is this year are the 29 out of the 68 racers competing who were unable to make it to the finish line.
After setting the best time in the first run, Mario Matt kept his momentum going in the second run and clinched his 14th career victory. With today's win, he matched Benjamin Raich’s record number of World Cup slalom victories by any Austrian slalom skier and made it his 39th slalom podium.
“I am very happy about this result, I was a few times on the podium in the past two years but since Kranjska Gora in 2011 I couldn’t win,” Matt said.
***
Worley wins St. Moritz giant slalom
ST MORITZ, Switzerland – France’s Tessa Worley hung on for the victory over Sweden’s Jessica Lindell-Vikarby in today’s giant slalom by 0.37 seconds. Slovenia’s Tina Maze ended her podium frustration, ending in third place, 0.79 seconds off Worley’s pace.
The win was Worley’s first victory since February 2012 when she won the giant slalom in Andorra. She now has eight total victories in the giant slalom and 13 podiums in the event. In St. Moritz, it was Worley’s third-ever podium. Last year, the French native took third place and she won the race in 2010.
“Winning today is a relief, it feels so good”, said the skier from Grand-Bornand. “I gives me some confidence going into next weeks' races in France. I'm really looking forward to it. I'll be able to ski with less pressure now and give it all on the course.”
Worley was the fastest down the hill in the first run, so all eyes were her as she came down as the last skier in the grand finale. Her lead from the first run, coupled with a clean second run was enough to push her to the victory.
Lindell-Vikarby picked up her second podium of the season and her second straight in giant slalom. The Swede also won in Beaver Creek and vastly improved on her previous best finish in St. Moritz of 23rd place.
Last year’s overall World Cup winner, Tina Maze, earned only her second podium of the season and her first in the giant slalom. The last time Maze won a giant slalom was last year’s season-end race in Lenzerheide. After a sluggish start to the season, Maze is currently in fifth place in the overall World Cup standings.
Source: the official FIS-site
Eric Frenzel keeps on winning
Ramsau am Dachstein's Individual Gundersen competition went to Eric Frenzel. The German claimed his third win this season 5.3 seconds ahead of Haavard Klemetsen (NOR). The podium was completed by Mikko Kokslien (NOR).
In ski jumping, Klemetsen reigned supreme again. The 34-year-old veteran jumped 96,5 metres and in slightly varying wind conditions over the whole round, this meant 134,8 points and the pole position for the cross-country race. German youngster Tobias Haug claimed the leader board for most of the ski jumping round, only having to make space for Klemetsen in the end. Haug showed strong 95 metres and with a total of 133,1 points this meant 7 seconds of time behind to Klemetsen. Breathing down their necks was Frenzel who claimed an intermediate rank three with 94,5 metres and set himself up for the race with only eight seconds of time disadvantage.
Jason Lamy Chappuis and Jørgen Graabak did not have good jumps. The Frenchman landed at 87 metres which meant an intermediate 35th rank and Graabak had an unsuccessful attempt of only 81 metres. As the differences between jumpers were not so big on the small hill, Lamy Chappuis started with a time behind of +1:17 and Graabak with the wave start at +1:50.
The longest jump of the competition went to Yoshito Watabe who jumped 98 metres but was not able to set a full telemark which cost him style points. In the end, the ranked fifth after the jump.
In the race, a big leading group consisting of up to ten athletes formed quickly after the first 2,5 kilometre lap. A pursuing group containing the fast skiers Magnus Krog, Mario Stecher, Fabian Rießle and Mikko Kokslien also formed quite quickly but were about 17 seconds behind the leaders until the last lap when all of the athletes gave everything in the fight for positions.
In the end, Frenzel managed to open up a gap on the last lap and skied an undisputed victory into the finish while Norwegians Klemetsen, Kokslien and Krog as well as Japan's Akito Watabe and Gemany's Fabian Rießle sprinted for the remaining podium places. Klemetsen and Kokslien were the strongest ones, making it the second double podium for Norway in two days. Rießle on six and Rydzek on ten completed a good German team result, as the German team, like the Norwegians, managed to place three athletes in the Top Ten. Lukas Klapfer saved the Austrian honour on rank eight.
Now, the Nordic Combined World Cup will move to Schonach, Germany for one last pre-Christmas stop before heading to the depths of Russia after New Year.
***
Mario Matt wins for a record 14th time
VAL D’ISERE, France – It’s the second day of racing on the Face de Bellevarde and the conditions didn’t get any easier compared to Saturday’s giant slalom race. The best example of how difficult and icy the Val d’Isere slope is this year are the 29 out of the 68 racers competing who were unable to make it to the finish line.
After setting the best time in the first run, Mario Matt kept his momentum going in the second run and clinched his 14th career victory. With today's win, he matched Benjamin Raich’s record number of World Cup slalom victories by any Austrian slalom skier and made it his 39th slalom podium.
“I am very happy about this result, I was a few times on the podium in the past two years but since Kranjska Gora in 2011 I couldn’t win,” Matt said.
***
Worley wins St. Moritz giant slalom
ST MORITZ, Switzerland – France’s Tessa Worley hung on for the victory over Sweden’s Jessica Lindell-Vikarby in today’s giant slalom by 0.37 seconds. Slovenia’s Tina Maze ended her podium frustration, ending in third place, 0.79 seconds off Worley’s pace.
The win was Worley’s first victory since February 2012 when she won the giant slalom in Andorra. She now has eight total victories in the giant slalom and 13 podiums in the event. In St. Moritz, it was Worley’s third-ever podium. Last year, the French native took third place and she won the race in 2010.
“Winning today is a relief, it feels so good”, said the skier from Grand-Bornand. “I gives me some confidence going into next weeks' races in France. I'm really looking forward to it. I'll be able to ski with less pressure now and give it all on the course.”
Worley was the fastest down the hill in the first run, so all eyes were her as she came down as the last skier in the grand finale. Her lead from the first run, coupled with a clean second run was enough to push her to the victory.
Lindell-Vikarby picked up her second podium of the season and her second straight in giant slalom. The Swede also won in Beaver Creek and vastly improved on her previous best finish in St. Moritz of 23rd place.
Last year’s overall World Cup winner, Tina Maze, earned only her second podium of the season and her first in the giant slalom. The last time Maze won a giant slalom was last year’s season-end race in Lenzerheide. After a sluggish start to the season, Maze is currently in fifth place in the overall World Cup standings.
Source: the official FIS-site
