Are: Hank's Handicap: Giant slalom

Back in the 1980s, the popular wisdom in ski coaching circles was that giant slalom was the key component. Ski good GS, the wisdom said, and everything else will follow. On the World Cup this season, they haven’t had much opportunity to ski GS, good or otherwise.
    The men have not raced a giant slalom in five weeks, so there is nobody coming into the event riding momentum. There are some clear-cut favorites: Aksel Lund Svindal, Benjamin Raich, Kalle Palander and maybe Massimiliano Blardone. That’s skiers from four different countries, which is at least a touch interesting.
    It is — as usual — impossible to rule Bode Miller out of any race and his finish rate in GS this season is better than it is in DH or SL, but he has just one GS podium.

BACK IN THE 1980s, the popular wisdom in ski coaching circles was that giant slalom was the key component. Ski good GS, the wisdom said, and everything else will follow. On the World Cup this season, they haven’t had much opportunity to ski GS, good or otherwise.
    The men have not raced a giant slalom in five weeks, so there is nobody coming into the event riding momentum. There are some clear-cut favorites: Aksel Lund Svindal, Benjamin Raich, Kalle Palander and maybe Massimiliano Blardone. That’s skiers from four different countries, which is at least a touch interesting.
    It is — as usual — impossible to rule Bode Miller out of any race and his finish rate in GS this season is better than it is in DH or SL, but he has just one GS podium. Svindal has three, Palander has two, Blardone has two. The odds are Ted Ligety will finish better than Miller, but the recognition must remain that the man from Franconia can ski faster than anyone else. Both Svindal and Raich have medals in their Lycra, which has a tendency to allow more relaxed, and therefore faster, skiing. Although 10 of Palander’s World Cup wins have come in slalom, his results this season have been more consistent and good in GS. The man has been top 10 overall in each of the last four seasons, so he should not be underestimated. Plus he is a new father, and that can be a very inspirational experience.
    Blardone is, essentially, a GS specialist but his World Championship and Olympic results have digressed over the years, not improved. His best was a fifth back in 2001 when he was 21. He was eighth in the 2002 Olympic GS. Last year he topped out at 11th. There are more hopes for the Swiss Didiers, Defago and Cuche. Canadian Francois Bourque, and teammate Thomas Grandi — also a new father — could make it interesting. Still, seems like Svindal holds the most cards.
    In the last Cup GS before the championships for women, Italian Karen Putzer was a surprise, but oh-so-popular winner at Cortina. She has had an ugly time of it career-wise, succumbing to injury time and again. Putzer’s win added her name to the list of potential world champions.
    Germany’s Kathrin Hoelzl would not have to step up much to secure a medal.
    But the real favorites have to come from a young Austrian team. Michaela Kirchgasser, 21, is just beginning to display her formidable talents. Kathrin Zettel, 20, led the World Cup GS standings through the early going but has had dismal results since the turn of the year. Nicole Hosp, at 23 the veteran of the squad, currently leads the Cup GS standings and is enjoying the championships having already finished fourth in SG, sixth in combined and earning a bronze with a career-best downhill finish.
    The U.S. hopes ride on Julia Mancuso. She has not won a GS since the 2006 Olympics despite three wins this season in three different disciplines. If she is to get a FIS gold medal to balance the Olympic, this is her last real chance. Also in the mix is Finn Tanja Poutiainen. She has been consistently good all season, but particularly good since Jan. 4.
    And, of course, there’s Anja Paerson aiming for a fourth consecutive gold medal, on a huge roll and knowing better than to question it. She hasn’t placed better than fifth in a GS all season and still is feared by her opponents. We see the gold streak ending, but not the medals. Most of the factors support Hosp for the gold. Poutiainen, Mancuso and Paerson follow in no particular order.