One month after the Opening giant slalom in Sölden, it’s time for the speed racers to start their World Cup season. As every year since 1994, the first speed events will be staged in beautiful Lake Louise, amongst the Canadian Rockies.

The men will be the first to race, with a downhill scheduled on Saturday 28^th November (start at 19.30 local time, 11.30 CET) and a super-g on Sunday 29^th November (start at 19.00 local time, 11.00 CET). The 80 registered athletes will have three occasions to test the course before the race days, as three official trainings will be held from Wednesday to Friday.

Norway will definitively be the “nation-to-watch” with Kjetil Jansrud and Aksel Lund Svindal, coming back from injury. Together, these two have earned 3 downhill and 5 super-g globes, and we know they feel comfortable in Lake Louise since they both won here in both disciplines (Jansrud 2x and Svindal 6x). But eyes will also be on Austria’s Hannes Reichelt and Matthias Mayer, who ended in the Top 5 of both speed standings last year. Not to forget the local team Canada, who has potential winners within its athletes: Dustin Cook (5^th of last year’s downhill ranking) and Manuel Osbourne Paradis (2^nd ex-aequo in Lake Louise’s downhill) will be eager to claim top spots on this year’s podiums and who know what downhill World Champion 2011 Erik Guay, who just came back from injury, is capable of in front of his home crowd. Furthermore, Guillermo Fayed from France (3^rd in last season’s downhill ranking and 2^nd of last year’s Lake Louise downhill) and Dominique Paris from Italy (2^nd of last season’s super-g ranking and Lake Louise’s downhill winner 2013) are definitively to be considered for top spots on the podium.

The weather forecast looks good for the week-end and the slope is in perfect shape thanks to the good job of the local organising committee. The Winterterstart Festival in Lake Louise can now begin, and we look forward to exciting races!

After the men’s week, the ladies’ will take over the hill on the following week. Two downhills and a super will be staged in Lake Louise on 4^th, 5^th and 6^th November.

Source: fis-ski.com