Cuche wins Canadian downhill, Lanning crashes

The incomparable Swiss Didier Cuche completely controlled the opening downhill of the World Cup season Saturday (Nov. 28) at Lake Louise, Canada in a race marred by a nasty somersaulting crash by American TJ Lanning.

Cuche, a 35 year old veteran of the White Circus was masterful in riding to a .44 of a second margin and his second win of the season. Italian Werner Heel was second and Swiss Carlo Janka matched his third place finish from a season ago. The defending World Cup downhill champion Michael Walchhofer led the Austrians in fourth place.

Lanning’s crash, resulting in a long delay as he was airlifted off to hospital, was just the newsreel highlight in a day of frustration for the American squad. The lone bright spot was a clean late run (started 62nd) by Andrew Weibrecht that got him 12th on the day and drew applause from Cuche among others.

With precious little speed training Bode Miller was uncharacteristically cautious in his run and wound up 29th. The Canadians fared somewhat better. John Kucera was sixth, Robbie Dixon eighth, Manuel Oborne-Paradis 16th, Eric Guay 21st and Louis-Pierre Helie 22nd. An overcast day with a light snowfall and blustery winds contributed to the outcome as some racers battled more difficult visibility issues than others.

Cuche credited everybody but himself with his win. “I had great skis today. They went really fast and I had to do my job and I’m glad I did,” he said.

Having already won a GS earlier this season at Soelden, Cuche said he had been uncertain how prepared he was for downhill racing. “I wasn’t sure I was skiing so well in downhill as (I was) in GS and super G. I knew that technically it was okay, but just that smooth feeling to let the ski go. I wasn’t so fast the last fewe days of training. It seems to look good for the Swiss guys.”

With Janka third, Ambrosi Hoffmann fifth and Tobias Gruenenfelder in ninth and Patrick Kueng narrowly missing the top 10 in 11th place, the Swiss had a day worth celebrating.

Cuchen had previously made three Cup podiums at Lake Louise, but always in super G. “I have always had a tough time to be really fast here. My best position was fifth (in DH) and I’m really glad with the way I skied today.”

Weibrecht said he was a bit surprised with his strong result from so late a start, but said he got lucky. “I got a little bit lucky with the light, it seemed like it cleared up a little bit. I just put the hammer down and gave it everything I had and skied clean. That’s it.”

He said he usually “get crushed on the bottom flat here, but I’m starting to figure out the gliding part of skiing, so it’s getting better and better. I can’t complain.”

Kucera, the defending World Champion in downhill on a decidedly different type of course than this said he was happy with his sixth place finish, especially with the rest of the Canadian Cowboys contributing so well.  “That’s a strong team result and that it really important,” said Kucera. “It shows that we are skiing well as a group and that gives us confidence heading into the rest of the year.”

The lack of podium placing is likely to raise concerns for the mighty Austrian squad. Walchhofer said he felt he was in good shape and said the course was hard and suitable. “I’m happy with this result,” he said, “and the training run shows me that and so I’m happy for the next race.”

Lanning’s crash was hard on the U.S. team. He caught a hole and got bounced into a gate which hooked on his boot. He somersaulted between his skis and as the skis came around they wrenched hard on his leg before he slammed into the fences. The race was delayed while he was prepared and airlifted off the hill. Eric Fisher had the unfortunate fate of starting first after the delay.

The initial report on Lanning’s condition says it is “likely he sustained significant ligament damage” to his right knee. He also complained of back pain. He was airlifted to Banff Hospital.

Didier Cuche photo by GEPA.

The SCOOP
By Hank McKee

Equipment
Men’s Downhill, Lake Louise, Canada, Nov. 28, 2009
Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Cuche, Head/Head/Tyrolia
2 Heel, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
3 Janka, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
4 Walchhofer, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
5 Hoffmann, Head/Lange/Tyrolia
6 Kucera, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
7 Jaerbyn, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
8 Dixon, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
9 Gruenenfelder, Stoeckli/Lange/Atomic
10 Olsson, Head/Head/Tyrolia

Men’s Downhill, Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada, Nov. 28, 2009. … It is the third race of 34 on the men’s 2009-2010 World Cup schedule. … The first of eight scheduled downhills. … It is the first of two men’s races scheduled at Lake Louise with a super G Sunday. … First of five Cup races scheduled at Lake Louise this season with the women contending three events next weekend. … It is the 71st World Cup race hosted by Lake Louise. … the 43rd downhill. … the 13th men’s downhill. … Conditions are overcast with light snow falling, flat light.

It is the 11th career World Cup win for Didier Cuche, His fifth in downhill and his first at Lake Louise. … He has been third three times at Lake Louise in super G but never better than fifth in DH previously. … It is his second win of the season after taking the GS win at Soelden in the opener in October.

It is the fifth career World Cup podium for Werner Heel but his first second place finish. … His previous best at Lake Louise had been sixth in DH in November of 2007.

It is the sixth career World Cup podium for Carlo Janka and his second at Lake Louise having placed second in DH a year and a day ago. … Those are his only podiums in DH.

Sixth matches the eighth best career Cup placing for John Kucera. … It is his third best placing at Lake Louise where he recorded his only win in SG in 2006 and placed second in SG in 2008. … The placing is his career best in DH in World Cup competition, although he won the world championship in the discipline last season. … Eighth is the fifth best career World Cup result for Robbie Dixon and is his third best in DH. … It is the third best career Cup placing and second best DH placing for Andrew Weibrecht, his only better coming at Kitzbuehel (SG) and Beaver Creek (DH). … Manuel Osborne-Paradis matches his 19th best World Cup result. … Eric Guay matches his 68th best career Cup result. … It is the first career scoring result for Louis-Pierre Helie. … It is the 129th scoring result for Bode Miller’s career.

Cuche maintains the lead of the World Cup overall standings 200-120 over Carlo Janka. … Ivica Kostelic (18th in race) is third at 115. … Ted Ligety (did not race) is the top U.S. skier in sixth with 93pts. …Robbie Dixon leads the Canadians in 12th wityh 47pts.