Janka crushes Wengen field, Miller exits course
The iceman was hot. Swiss Carlo Janka ravaged the Lauberhorn Saturday (Jan. 16th) for his second downhill win of the season, overpowering a quality field by .66 of a second.
Canadian Manuel Osborne-Paradis got second while Leichtenstein’s Marco Buechel, a training mate of the homestanding Swiss, got third.
Bode Miller had won the downhill leg of Friday’s combined and was a heavy favorite. With a quarter of a second lead on the field (before Janka ran) Miller said he had difficulty with vision and lost the line. He exited the course just above the finish. Top U.S. finisher on the day was Andrew Weibrecht in 13th.
The Swiss were more than ready to celebrate on the 80th anniversary of the Lauberhorn, traditionally a three race event in January. Janka’s win gave them cause. “Winning at Wengen,” Janka explained, “is the dream of any Swiss skier.”
Known as the iceman for a decided lack of visual emotion, Janka took the lead at the third interval timing post and never relinquished it, dropping tenths of seconds the length of the course. It was a performance worthy of admiration, particularly since he had only raced the full length course once previously. On top of that he took over the lead of the World Cup overall standings passing Austrian Benjamin Raich, who did not race.
In addition the Swiss got Didier Cuche in fifth, Didier Defago in seventh and they’ll be happy to count Buechel’s podium as a welcome bonus.
This was a field of players on top of their game. Osborne-Paradis in second has tallied two wins this season including the downhill at Val Gardena. Fourth finishing Italian Werner Heel has recorded two podium finishes this season, Cuche has a downhill win and a second in his tote bag and Andrej Jerman, who tied Cuche on the day, won at Bormio two weeks ago. Seventh finishing Defago won here last season.
The consecutive wins – Janka this season and Defago last – is also important locally. Although the Swiss have won the Lauberhorn downhill in 25 of the 80 years, 17 of those wins came before 1950, well before the World Cup was created in 1967. Today’s win marked the first time since the 1980’s that Swiss skiers have won the race two consecutive years, and just the second time since the World Cup was formed.
The podium for Osborne-Paradis was unexpected even though he has tallied two wins earlier this season. “I was having a lot of doubts this week,” he said. “I have no idea how I was fast today.” He reasoned he took more risk, held his tuck when things got rough, but he was definitely surprised.
“We’ve had flat light all week,” he said, adding that an eye stigmatism make certain types of light difficult for him. “I tried really hard in the combined downhill and couldn’t make the top 30.”
After a few years on the downhill tour, Osborne-Paradis said, “little things don’t bother you anymore. I had things I wanted to correct and I did.”
Canada also got points from Erik Guay in 18th. The Americans from Steven Nyman in 21st and Erik Fisher in 28th.
Miller said his ankle injury is “coming around,” and reiterated that his ski set-up is fine. He said he just didn’t execute the game plan.
After a series of mistakes higher on the course, he said he resolved to push hard toward the bottom of the course. “I was really direct into the super G turns, which is where I made that mistake yesterday and I made the same mistake again today. It’s risky, you can pull it off, but I got bounced again and went real low at the entrance to the super G turns.”
While he recovered there he said “but I couldn’t really see that bump in the middle, the angle of the hill changes, and I just got pushed (off course).”
He allowed that had he been stronger he might have been able to make it through the longest downhill course on the World Cup. “It was a tactical error,” he said, “but yeah, if I was Hercules or something I could have probably stood up to it. I just missed the timing a little bit.”
“It was a bummer about Bode,” said Weibrecht. “He was giving it and would have been really fast.” The top U.S. finisher said he skied “clean and safe,” and tried to make up for his lack of experience. “I do want more,” he said, but I’m happy with my run today.”
So was his coach, Sasha Rearick, who said his racer had “executed from top to bottom his game plan. He skied fantastic through the difficult portions of the course. A great job today.”
The coach also said Nyman had continued to take positive steps as he fights back from injury. Nyman crashed in the finish area, showing the effects of the grueling course, but said his biggest problems were higher on the course. “In the Carousel Turns I just sucked. I’m not quite there yet, but am definitely on the up.”
photos by GEPA
The SCOOP
By Hank McKee
Equipment
Men’s Downhill, Wengen, Switzerland, Jan. 16, 2010
Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Janka, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
2 Osborne-Paradis, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
3 Buechel, Head/Lange/Head
4 Heel, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
5 Cuche, Head/Head/Head
5 Jerman, Stoeckli/Lange/
7 Defago, Rossignol/Lange/Rossignol
8 Fill, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
9 Kroell, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
10 Streitberger, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
Men’s Downhill, Wengen, Switzerland, Jan. 16, 2010. … It is the second race of the 80th annual Lauberhorn. … It is the 19th race of the men’s 35 race 2010 World Cup schedule. … The fifth of eight scheduled downhills. … It is the 88th World Cup race at Wengen (at least in part). … the 37th downhill.
It is the sixth career World Cup win for Carlo Janka. … His second in downhill. … It is also his second win at Wengen having claimed the combined last season. … It is his fourth win of the season, the first since sweeping all three races at Beaver Creek in early December. … He has been on the podium in eight of his 11 scoring finishes this season. … It is the 25th time a Swiss has won the Wengen downhill, the eighth time since the World Cup started in 1967.
It is the ninth career World Cup podium for Manuel Osborne-Paradis, eighth in downhill. … It is his second podium at Wengen having placed third in 2008. … It is his third podium of the season, the other two wins – in SG at Lake Louise and DH at Val Gardena. … It is the fifth Cup podium for Canada this season.
It is the 18th career World Cup podium for Marco Buechel. … His eighth in DH. … It is his first career Cup podium at Wengen. … and his first of the season. … It is the first of the season for Liechtenstein and first since 2008 when Buechel was second in DH at Beaver Creek.
It is the sixth best career Cup result for Andrew Weibrecht. … his fourth best this season. … It is his best career result at Wengen of three scoring finishes. … It is the 66th best of 87 World Cup scoring results for Erik Guay. … his 37th best of 50 in DH. … It is his sixth score of the season. … It is the 28th best of 40 Cup scoring results for Steven Nyman. … His third best of three DH scores at Wengen. … And his third best of three this season. … It is the ninth career scoring result for Erik Fisher, his first at Wengen and his fifth of the season.
Janka regains the lead of the World Cup overall standings 757-689 over Benjamin Raich (did not race). … Didier Cuche (5th in race) holds third at 526. … Ted Ligety (did not race) is the top U.S. skier in 7th with 362pts. … Osborne-Paradis is the top Canadian in eighth with 348. … Cuche leads the downhill standings 296-284 over Janka with Osborne-Paradis third at 224. … Bod
e Miller (DNF) is the top U.S. skier tied in 17th with 81pts. … Austria still leads the men’s Nations Cup 2756-2682 over the Swiss. … Italy is third at 1897. … The U.S. is ranked 5th with 1018pts and Canada 6th with 994pts.
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Rank | Bib | FIS Code | Name | Year | Nation | Total Time | FIS Points |
1 | 18 | 511313 | JANKA Carlo | 1986 | SUI | 2:32.23 | 0.00 |
2 | 16 | 102899 | OSBORNE-PARADIS Manuel | 1984 | CAN | 2:32.89 | 5.72 |
3 | 9 | 350032 | BUECHEL Marco | 1971 | LIE | 2:33.05 | 7.11 |
4 | 10 | 292514 | HEEL Werner | 1982 | ITA | 2:33.06 | 7.20 |
5 | 21 | 510030 | CUCHE Didier | 1974 | SUI | 2:33.09 | 7.46 |
5 | 15 | 560332 | JERMAN Andrej | 1978 | SLO | 2:33.09 | 7.46 |
7 | 19 | 510727 | DEFAGO Didier | 1977 | SUI | 2:33.61 | 11.97 |
8 | 25 | 292455 | FILL Peter | 1982 | ITA | 2:33.70 | 12.75 |
9 | 17 | 50753 | KROELL Klaus | 1980 | AUT | 2:33.83 | 13.87 |
10 | 3 | 50858 | STREITBERGER Georg | 1981 | AUT | 2:33.86 | 14.13 |
11 | 1 | 511139 | KUENG Patrick | 1984 | SUI | 2:33.96 | 15.00 |
12 | 14 | 501076 | OLSSON Hans | 1984 | SWE | 2:34.04 | 15.69 |
13 | 7 | 530939 | WEIBRECHT Andrew | 1986 | USA | 2:34.09 | 16.13 |
14 | 4 | 192746 | THEAUX Adrien | 1984 | FRA | 2:34.21 | 17.17 |
15 | 20 | 421328 | SVINDAL Aksel Lund | 1982 | NOR | 2:34.24 | 17.43 |
16 | 22 | 50041 | WALCHHOFER Michael | 1975 | AUT | 2:34.52 | 19.86 |
17 | 11 | 293006 | INNERHOFER Christof | 1984 | ITA | 2:34.60 | 20.55 |
18 | 13 | 102263 | GUAY Erik | 1981 | CAN | 2:34.86 | 22.80 |
19 | 6 | 500150 | JAERBYN Patrik | 1969 | SWE | 2:34.93 | 23.41 |
20 | 31 | 380260 | KOSTELIC Ivica | 1979 | CRO | 2:35.01 | 24.11 |
21 | 5 | 533866 | NYMAN Steven | 1982 | USA | 2:35.10 | 24.89 |
22 | 43 | 291459 | PARIS Dominik | 1989 | ITA | 2:35.13 | 25.15 |
23 | 26 | 510747 | GRUENENFELDER Tobias | 1977 | SUI | 2:35.15 | 25.32 |
24 | 36 | 292291 | THANEI Stefan | 1981 | ITA | 2:35.16 | 25.41 |
25 | 27 | 191740 | CLAREY Johan | 1981 | FRA | 2:35.17 | 25.49 |
26 | 46 | 380292 | ZRNCIC-DIM Natko | 1986 | CRO | 2:35.31 | 26.71 |
27 | 32 | 560447 | SPORN Andrej | 1981 | SLO | 2:35.45 | 27.92 |
28 | 2 | 534939 | FISHER Erik | 1985 | USA | 2:35.66 | 29.74 |
29 | 30 | 50833 | GRUGGER Hans | 1981 | AUT | 2:35.67 | 29.83 |
30 | 29 | 51005 | SCHEIBER Mario | 1983 | AUT | 2:35.95 | 32.26 |
31 | 42 | 192932 | FAYED Guillermo | 1985 | FRA | 2:36.32 | 35.46 |
32 | 35 | 201606 | KEPPLER Stephan | 1983 | GER | 2:36.44 | 36.51 |
33 | 24 | 290998 | STAUDACHER Patrick | 1980 | ITA | 2:36.49 | 36.94 |
34 | 41 | 561067 | PERKO Rok | 1985 | SLO | 2:36.64 | 38.24 |
35 | 45 | 511039 | KREUZER Ralf | 1983 | SUI | 2:36.65 | 38.33 |
36 | 28 | 533131 | SULLIVAN Marco | 1980 | USA | 2:37.28 | 43.79 |
37 | 47 | 990081 | CASSE Mattia | 1990 | ITA | 2:37.33 | 44.22 |
38 | 51 | 561085 | KRIZAJ Andrej | 1986 | SLO | 2:37.53 | 45.96 |
39 | 53 | 103375 | NELLA Tyler | 1988 | CAN | 2:37.64 | 46.91 |
40 | 34 | 102271 | HUDEC Jan | 1981 | CAN | 2:37.65 | 47.00 |
41 | 33 | 532490 | MACARTNEY Scott | 1978 | USA | 2:37.82 | 48.47 |
42 | 49 | 511383 | FEUZ Beat | 1987 | SUI | 2:38.19 | 51.68 |
43 | 52 | 530874 | GANONG Travis | 1988 | USA | 2:38.46 | 54.02 |
44 | 48 | 201987 | STRODL Andreas | 1987 | GER | 2:38.50 | 54.37 |
45 | 39 | 561087 | MARKIC Gasper | 1986 | SLO | 2:38.93 | 58.10 |
46 | 54 | 20174 | VIDOSA Roger | 1984 | AND | 2:42.72 | 90.96 |
47 | 55 | 60159 | VAN BUYNDER Frederik | 1988 | BEL | 2:43.09 | 94.17 |
Did not start 1st run | |||||||
50 | 40171 | BRANCH Craig | 1977 | AUS | |||
38 | 50451 | GRUBER Christoph | 1976 | AUT | |||
8 | 510767 | HOFFMANN Ambrosi | 1977 | SUI | |||
Did not finish 1st run | |||||||
44 | 150421 | ZAHROBSKY Petr | 1980 | CZE | |||
40 | 51327 | PUCHNER Joachim | 1987 | AUT | |||
37 | 191591 | BERTRAND Yannick | 1980 | FRA | |||
23 | 191964 | POISSON David | 1982 | FRA | |||
12 | 532431 | MILLER Bode | 1977 | USA |