Bode Miller speaks about new Olympic course

By Published On: February 9th, 2012Comments Off on Bode Miller speaks about new Olympic course

How many guys missed the gate near the top of the course is uncertain. If the gate keeper kept track, he isn’t talking. But we do know just 36 started and finished the full length of the new Olympic downhill on the second training run before it was “canceled” because of fog Thursday (Feb 9). The rest were allowed to ski the course from a lowered start.

Didier Cuche told Swiss reporters he was concerned about sections of course that were breaking up and with limited visibility and so elected not to press during his run.

Hannes Reichelt was listed as the fastest man for the second straight day with Christof Innerhofer in second and Johan Clarey third and Bode Miller fourth. But how much those finishes actually meant was a matter for considerable debate.

A press conference was held for Miller to clarify comments said after the first training run that the Olympic was too turny for a downhill.

“We’ve, all the racers, have been saying the same thing. It’s a beautiful area and a great privilege to be here. The venue is world class. I hope they do as good a job as they can.

“The hill is one of the best hills I’ve ever seen  for a natural downhill. You almost don’t have to put any gates in the whole course. … Maybe six or seven places on the whole course, where you need one gate or two gates to control just the direction the athletes come  through. Put the B-nets up on the side, the A-nets in areas needed and it could be a phenomenal, phenomenal downhill.

“The way it’s set right now, is not what we want to show for an Olympic downhill at all. I don’t know if you guys have seen video of yesterday. The hill itself comes off pretty well, shows the steeps pitches. the jumps are big. But as turny as it is now it’s a super G, really.

“They should run that exact course, the way the gates are right now. . It would be one of the best super G’s we’ve ever had. That would be an amazing step for ski racing to challenge the athletes for a change.”

Rank Bib FIS Code Name Year Nation Total Time
 1  15  50742 REICHELT Hannes  1980  AUT   2:15.17
 2  19  293006 INNERHOFER Christof  1984  ITA   2:16.26
 3  12  191740 CLAREY Johan  1981  FRA   2:16.27
 4  21  532431 MILLER Bode  1977  USA   2:16.42
 5  16  51215 BAUMANN Romed  1986  AUT   2:16.72
 5  10  51327 PUCHNER Joachim  1987  AUT   2:16.72
 7  2  291459 PARIS Dominik  1989  ITA   2:16.76
 8  30  103271 THOMSEN Benjamin  1987  CAN   2:16.78
 9  17  102263 GUAY Erik  1981  CAN   2:16.88
 10  11  421328 SVINDAL Aksel Lund  1982  NOR   2:16.90
 11  6  421483 JANSRUD Kjetil  1985  NOR   2:17.05
 12  20  510030 CUCHE Didier  1974  SUI   2:17.07
 13  18  50753 KROELL Klaus  1980  AUT   2:17.08
 14  27  292455 FILL Peter  1982  ITA   2:17.18
 15  26  192932 FAYED Guillermo  1985  FRA   2:17.21
 16  4  51005 SCHEIBER Mario  1983  AUT   2:17.33
 17  25  560447 SPORN Andrej  1981  SLO   2:17.53
 17  7  511313 JANKA Carlo  1986  SUI   2:17.53
 19  13  102271 HUDEC Jan  1981  CAN   2:17.68
 19  8  192746 THEAUX Adrien  1984  FRA   2:17.68
 21  1  50858 STREITBERGER Georg  1981  AUT   2:17.78
 22  14  511383 FEUZ Beat  1987  SUI   2:18.09
 23  9  510727 DEFAGO Didier  1977  SUI   2:19.00
 24  23  191591 BERTRAND Yannick  1980  FRA   2:19.70
 25  29  510890 ZURBRIGGEN Silvan  1981  SUI   2:19.82
 26  5  510767 HOFFMANN Ambrosi  1977  SUI   2:20.12
 27  24  53817 FRANZ Max  1989  AUT   2:30.61

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About the Author: Hank McKee

In memoriam: The veteran of the staff, McKee started with Ski Racing in 1980. Over the seasons, he covered virtually every aspect of the sport, from the pro tours to junior racing, freestyle and World Cup alpine competition. He wrote the first national stories for many U.S. team stars, and was still around to report on their retirements. “Longevity has its rewards,” he said, “but it’s a slow process.”