Austrian men find ideal training conditions at Hutt

The Austrian men’s alpine team recently completed a spectacular camp at New Zealand’s Mount Hutt.
THE AUSTRIAN MEN'S alpine team recently completed a spectacular camp at New Zealand’s Mount Hutt.
    Weather conditions could not have been better, with cold, bluebird skies daily for training runs.
    “As the week continued course conditions got faster and faster, the athletes were hitting speeds up to 118 kph seconds before launching 40 meters through the air,” said Paul Marks of the Mount Hutt Race Department. “With great views of the jump from on and off the lift, crowds gathered to get a glimpse of the only opportunity to see World Cup speeds here in New Zealand.”
    Two different groups from the Austrian alpine team visited Hutt with the World Cup III team and the SL/SG combined team. Top racers included Rainer Schönfelder and Christoph Gruber, accompanied by a crew of 13 athletes and a support staff of 20 coaches, ski techs, doctors, and physios, making them the largest group to visit Hutt this season.
    “Having the Austrian Ski Team train at Mount Hutt is very exciting for us,” Marks said. “Being the most recognized team in ski racing, they certainly create a buzz on the slopes and down in Methven.”
    Though most teams have now departed New Zealand for the Northern Hemisphere, things won’t slow much with the Swiss women’s team set to start a six-day training block at Hutt on Sunday. Martina Schild, the reigning Olympic silver medalist in downhill, is expected to be among the Swiss contingent.
     FIS Australia New Zealand Cup Finals, meanwhile, are scheduled for Sept. 11-15, with super G, super combi, GS and slalom races held.