After three days of weather delays in Are, Sweden, racing finally got under way Tuesday at the 2007 Alpine World Ski Championships, and Italy's Patrick Staudacher stunned the field to win the men's super G.
Running 12th in the field of 69, Staudacher completed the course in 1 minute, 14.30 seconds, .32 better than Austrian Fritz Strobl. Swiss skier Bruno Kernen took bronze, .62 back. Defending super G world champion Bode Miller of the United States finished way out of contention after several mistakes, losing almost half a second after hitting a gate with his shoulder on the bottom part of the course.
Americans struggled, with Steven Nyman in 12th, Miller 24th, Ted Ligety and Scott Macartney tied for 31st and T.J. Lanning 34th.
"It's a dream, an unforgettable day," Staudacher told Italy's RAI television immediately after the win. It was his first-ever start in a World Championships.
ARE, Sweden — After three days of weather delays, racing finally got under way Tuesday at the 2007 Alpine World Ski Championships, and Italy's Patrick Staudacher stunned the field to win the men's super G.
Running 12th in the field of 69, Staudacher completed the course in 1 minute, 14.30 seconds, .32 better than Austrian Fritz Strobl. Swiss skier Bruno Kernen took bronze, .62 back. Defending super G world champion Bode Miller of the United States finished way out of contention after several mistakes, losing almost half a second after hitting a gate with his shoulder on the bottom part of the course.
Americans struggled, with Steven Nyman in 12th, Miller 24th, Ted Ligety and Scott Macartney tied for 31st and T.J. Lanning 34th.
“Since being here I have a great feeling here and was very relaxed. I could really focus well," Staudacher said through a translator. "I felt ready and at the start I was just enjoying being there and so I had a solid run and was pleased when I was at finish line. I thought maybe eighth. I never thought it would be enough for a victory.”
It was the first-ever start in a World Championships for the German-speaking Staudacher, who hails from Vipiteno in the far north of Italy.
The men's super G was delayed from Saturday due to heavy snow and wind. The women's super G, originally set for Sunday, followed immediately after with the women's super G, won by local heroine Anja Paerson.
Staudacher, 26, was ninth in the 2006 Olympic downhill and 17th in the super G at Torino. He was seventh in the combined at the 2002 Olympics. He does not have any World Cup podiums, but has four career top 10s, three of them in December.
Staudacher, a technical racer earlier in his career who switched to speed after injuring a knee, also recently had eye surgery. He had to wait and watch some big guns descend the course to hold on for gold. Norwegian Aksel Lund Svindal, the current World Cup overall leader, skied out of the 28th start position, but lost time the entire way down. Miller, the defending world champion in super G, was .12 behind at the first interval, .30 back at the second interval, then dropped way back to .93 out and finished 1.34 back.
That left one big challenger — Austrian Hermann Maier — but he, too, couldn't find the speed and settled for seventh.
At the World Cup Finals last March on this same hill in Are, Staudacher was 16th. The win Tuesday was Italy's first super G world title. Italy's previous best result in a men's super G at the worlds was a fifth-place finish by Alberto Tomba at Vail in 1989.
''After I came down I was expecting a top-five or top-six result,'' said the Italian, who had the stitches removed for his cornea operation only a month ago. ''Being at the very top now is crazy.
''It was definitely an advantage to start with a low bib number and I took advantage of this.
''No one from my home town is here today,'' Staudacher added. "They're all coming for the downhill. No one was expecting this.''
In addition to eye surgery, Staudacher was also coming back from a more recent knee injury sustained in a fall in training 10 days ago in Italy. ''It's a big surprise,'' said Italian coach Adriano Ilisse. ''We were all expecting Peter Fill to do better … But Patrick has been coming along and he skied perfectly today.''
Austrians claimed three of the top seven spots, while three Canadians made the top 10.
Strobl was a somewhat surprise selection for a starting spot in the event, having been beaten in time trials by Austrian downhill standout Michael Walchhofer. But Austrian coach Toni Giger's gamble paid off, as Strobl won his first career worlds medals after two fourth-place finishes. Strobl is the 2002 Olympic downhill champion.
''When I crossed the finish line I didn't have a good feeling. I felt I could have done more, given more,'' Strobl said. "This is great now, though, because there was a lot of talk when I was chosen to race. But I always said I'm not a joker but an ace.''
Strobl was angry, however, about the starting order rules of the International Ski Federation, which reverses the top 30 skiers in the discipline ranked on the World Cup. It means the world's best super G skier begins 30th when the course is usually rutted and chopped up.
''To have a late start number here was a disadvantage for every top runner,'' said the Austrian veteran. ''It's not fair. We are the puppets of the FIS.''
It was the fourth World Championships medal for Kernen, the 34-year-old Swiss veteran. At the 1997 worlds in Sestriere, he took gold in downhill and silver in combined. At the 2003 worlds in St. Moritz, he took bronze in downhill. He also took bronze in downhill at the 2006 Olympics.
Kernen said he didn't feel confident that his run was good enough for a medal even though he came to Are confident.
"I came here, and four to five days ago I think I’m ready to do my best super G results here," Kernen said. "I was never on the [super G] podium in the World Championships before.
"Today when I crossed the finish line I knew I wouldn’t get my best results today."
Why? "I didn’t ski well," he added. "It seems to me it was like skiing two different races — the top and lower section and then the middle."
Kernen said even after Maier crossed the line as the last main challenger for the win that the feeling of earning his first worlds medal in super G hadn't begun to sink in.
"I am really excited because I didn’t expect it," he said. "I almost couldn’t believe it even after Hermann was in the finish just a couple minutes after. I started to realize that there were still good racers at the start and I thought I could lose my medal."
Three Canadians finished in th
e top 10. Erik Guay was sixth, 0.65 off the winning pace and a tiny 0.03 from the podium. Francois Bourque finished ninth, 0.05 from a medal.
“The super G’s are always close, but this one was exceptional,” Guay said. “We have three in the top 10 but no one on the podium …"
Six skiers finished within 0.05 seconds from third place.
World Cup overall leader Svindal was disappointed with his 13th-place finish.
“I thought it was a good run until I looked at the scoreboard,” the Norwegian said. “I should never have looked because my race wasn’t very good. It was a lot slower than I thought.”
Tactical mistake costs Nyman
Miller said he hurt his chances to defend his title from the 2005 championships “because I was taking too many risks” over the 1.82-kilometer Olympia course.
The 29-year-old American took a lot of risk on the upper section of the course but was perhaps too aggressive and took too tight a line. It also appeared that Miller may have hurt his wrist.
“That’s how skiing goes,” Miller told host broadcasters SVT. “I risked it all and I lost.”
Nyman survived stepping on his ski in mid-race to finish 12th. Nyman, competing in his first World Championships, appeared to slide his right ski onto his left on a sharp right-hand turn but quickly righted himself and went on to finish in 1:15.20, while Miller was timed in 1:15.64.
“The snow was excellent. There was no wind and it’s probably as fair a race as you could get,” Nyman said. “My only mistake was a tactical mistake.
“The snow, everything turned out really well today,” Nyman said. “The cold temperatures just sucked all the moisture out and it allowed it to glaze over and we had an excellent surface.
“I felt I was totally ready. I came into it a little too straight near a turn [in the middle section] and didn’t press out the bump well enough and it just put me low. I thought I was going to straddle the gate actually but I made it, and I ripped the rest of the way down. The top was awesome and the bottom was awesome, but the middle I made that mistake.
“I’m happy with the way I skied. We haven’t trained in a while and it’s been a tough, tough year, so it’s hard to get that feeling back. But I’m aiming for the downhill. That’s my baby.”
— Sam Flickinger, Whitney Childers, Don Cameron and The Associated Press contributed to this report
THE SCOOP
By Hank McKee
Equipment
World Ski Championships
Men's super G, Are, Sweden, Feb. 6, 2007
Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Staudacher, Head/Head/Tyrolia
2 Strobl, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
3 Kernen, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
4 Gruber, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
4 Cuche, Fischer/Fischer/Fischer
6 Guay, Head/Head/Tyrolia
7 Maier, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
7 Hudec, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol
9 Bourque, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
10 Buechel, Head/Lange/Tyrolia
Men's super G, Are, Sweden, Feb. 6, 2007. … It is the opening race of the 2007 FIS Alpine World Ski Championships. … Originally scheduled Feb. 3, the race was delayed twice by wind and snow. … It is the 21st super G held at World Championships.
It is the first career win at world level for Patrick Staudacher. … And the best SG result for an Italian male in World Championship history. … Isolde Kostner is the only other Italian to win a World Championship SG, having accomplished that in '96 and '97. … Staudacher's best World Cup result is fifth in DH, at Bormio earlier this season (Dec. 28). … His best SG result is eighth at Hinterstoder (Dec. 20, 2006). … His only previous result at Are is 16th in SG March 16, 2006. … He was 18th in 2002 Olympic SG, and 17th in 2006 Olympic SG.
It is the first World Championship medal for Fritz Strobl. … He had been fourth, twice, both times in DH, at Sestriere Feb. 8, 1997, and Bormio Feb. 5, 2005. … He won the 2002 Olympic DH, and was fourth in SG. … Was eighth in 2006 Olympic DH. …Of his nine career World Cup wins, seven are DH, two in SG. … It is his best placing of the season, though he was third in DH at Val Gardena Dec. 16.
It is the fourth World Championship medal for Bruno Kernen. … He won the DH and was second in combined at Sestriere in 1997; was third in DH at St. Moritz in 2003. … He was also third in DH in 2006 Olympics. … It is his first podium of the season, next-best result being eighth in SG at Lake Louise, and in DH at Bormio.
It is the third time Erik Guay has placed sixth in a World Championship event (his best result aside from team competition), having also achieved the mark in SG and DH at St. Moritz 2003). … Sixth matches his best result of the season from Lake Louise SG Nov. 26. … He was fourth in 2006 Olympic SG. … It is the best World Championship result for Francois Bourque. … He placed 13th in SG and 10th CMB at Bormio in 2005. … He has had just one race this season with a better placing, second GS Hinterstoder Dec. 21. … He was fourth in GS at 2006 Olympics, eighth in SG. … It is the first World Championship result for Steven Nyman. … The result bests any of his three from the 2006 Olympics (19th DH, 29th CMB, 39th SG). … It is his fifth-best result of the season. … He won the Val Gardena DH Dec. 16 and was third Beaver Creek DH Dec. 1. … Result matches Caroline Lalive for the 18th-best World Championship SG result by an American. … It is not the worst SG at worlds for Bode Miller — he was 26th at Beaver Creek in 1999. … He was the defending world champion in SG, and has won silver in the discipline in 2003. … He owns five World Cup SG wins, including two from this season (Val Gardena Dec. 15 and Hinterstoder Dec. 20). … It is the second World Championship SG result for John Kucera, the other a 25th place in 2005. … He was 22nd in SG at the 2006 Olympics. … He won the World Cup SG at Lake Louise Nov. 26 and was third at Val Gardena.
Ted Ligety has two other World Championship results, a fourth in team competition and a 12th in combined in 2005 at Bormio. … He has never placed in the top 30 of a World Cup SG. … Scott Macartney's other World Championship result is 28th in SG at Bormio 2005. … He was seventh in 2006 Olympic SG. … He did not have a World Cup scoring result in SG this season, but had been second at Garmisch Jan. 29, 2005. … The only result for T.J. Lanning this season and/or career had come in SG when was 19th at Hinterstoder Dec. 20. … Winning margin is .32 of a second. … Top 13 are within the same second. … Top 37 within two seconds.
Men's medal count
ITA 1 (1 gold)
AUT 1 (1 silver)
SUI 1 (1 bronze)
Are World Championships men's super G results
| Rank | Bib | FIS Code | Name | Year | Nation | Total Time | FIS Points |
| 1 | 12 | 290998 | STAUDACHER Patrick | 1980 | ITA | 1:14.30 | 0.00 |
| 2 | 20 | 50182 | STROBL Fritz | 1972 | AUT | 1:14.62 | 4.44 |
| 3 | 17 | 510478 | KERNEN Bruno | 1972 | SUI | 1:14.92 | 8.59 |
| 4 | 25 | 50451 | GRUBER Christoph | 1976 | AUT | 1:14.93 | 8.73 |
| 4 | 21 | 510030 | CUCHE Didier | 1974 | SUI | 1:14.93 | 8.73 |
| 6 | 26 | 102263 | GUAY Erik | 1981 | CAN | 1:14.95 | 9.01 |
| 7 | 30 | 50423 | MAIER Hermann | 1972 | AUT | 1:14.96 | 9.15 |
| 7 | 6 | 102271 | HUDEC Jan | 1981 | CAN | 1:14.96 | 9.15 |
| 9 | 15 | 102814 | BOURQUE Francois | 1984 | CAN | 1:14.97 | 9.29 |
| 10 | 22 | 350032 | BUECHEL Marco | 1971 | LIE | 1:14.99 | 9.57 |
| 11 | 23 | 51005 | SCHEIBER Mario | 1983 | AUT | 1:15.09 | 10.95 |
| 12 | 11 | 533866 | NYMAN Steven | 1982 | USA | 1:15.20 | 12.48 |
| 13 | 28 | 421328 | SVINDAL Aksel Lund | 1982 | NOR | 1:15.24 | 13.03 |
| 14 | 27 | 292455 | FILL Peter | 1982 | ITA | 1:15.31 | 14.00 |
| 14 | 13 | 510890 | ZURBRIGGEN Silvan | 1981 | SUI | 1:15.31 | 14.00 |
| 16 | 32 | 292000 | BLARDONE Massimiliano | 1979 | ITA | 1:15.38 | 14.97 |
| 17 | 18 | 510727 | DEFAGO Didier | 1977 | SUI | 1:15.45 | 15.94 |
| 17 | 16 | 500150 | JAERBYN Patrik | 1969 | SWE | 1:15.45 | 15.94 |
| 19 | 39 | 560406 | GORZA Ales | 1980 | SLO | 1:15.46 | 16.08 |
| 19 | 7 | 420911 | SOLBAKKEN Bjarne | 1977 | NOR | 1:15.46 | 16.08 |
| 21 | 34 | 501076 | OLSSON Hans | 1984 | SWE | 1:15.52 | 16.91 |
| 22 | 3 | 191746 | DE TESSIERES Gauthier | 1981 | FRA | 1:15.60 | 18.02 |
| 23 | 5 | 560332 | JERMAN Andrej | 1978 | SLO | 1:15.63 | 18.44 |
| 24 | 29 | 532431 | MILLER Bode | 1977 | USA | 1:15.64 | 18.58 |
| 25 | 33 | 501026 | RAINER Niklas | 1983 | SWE | 1:15.65 | 18.71 |
| 26 | 1 | 192746 | THEAUX Adrien | 1984 | FRA | 1:15.71 | 19.55 |
| 27 | 4 | 292514 | HEEL Werner | 1982 | ITA | 1:15.74 | 19.96 |
| 28 | 51 | 501324 | OLSSON Matts | 1988 | SWE | 1:15.81 | 20.93 |
| 29 | 19 | 190930 | DENERIAZ Antoine | 1976 | FRA | 1:15.84 | 21.35 |
| 30 | 24 | 102873 | KUCERA John | 1984 | CAN | 1:15.91 | 22.32 |
| 31 | 31 | 534562 | LIGETY Ted | 1984 | USA | 1:15.98 | 23.29 |
| 31 | 14 | 532490 | MACARTNEY Scott | 1978 | USA | 1:15.98 | 23.29 |
| 33 | 35 | 180449 | PELLINEN Jouni | 1983 | FIN | 1:16.12 | 25.23 |
| 34 | 2 | 534567 | LANNING Thomas (tj) | 1984 | USA | 1:16.16 | 25.78 |
| 35 | 41 | 421400 | MYHRE Lars Elton | 1984 | NOR | 1:16.22 | 26.62 |
| 36 | 42 | 150398 | BANK Ondrej | 1980 | CZE | 1:16.23 | 26.76 |
| 37 | 10 | 201606 | KEPPLER Stephan | 1983 | GER | 1:16.24 | 26.89 |
| 38 | 57 | 220083 | BAXTER Noel | 1981 | GBR | 1:16.56 | 31.33 |
| 39 | 37 | 201439 | STEHLE Johannes | 1981 | GER | 1:16.66 | 32.72 |
| 40 | 44 | 380292 | ZRNCIC-DIM Natko | 1986 | CRO | 1:16.74 | 33.83 |
| 41 | 58 | 410252 | BRIDGWATER Mark | 1985 | NZE | 1:16.83 | 35.07 |
| 42 | 45 | 150644 | KRYZL Krystof | 1986 | CZE | 1:16.98 | 37.15 |
| 43 | 53 | 480736 | HOROSHILOV Alexandr | 1984 | RUS | 1:17.07 | 38.40 |
| 44 | 9 | 560447 | SPORN Andrej | 1981 | SLO | 1:17.10 | 38.82 |
| 45 | 49 | 480647 | SATS Konstantin | 1982 | RUS | 1:17.11 | 38.95 |
| 46 | 52 | 700037 | HEIMSCHILD Ivan | 1980 | SVK | 1:17.17 | 39.79 |
| 47 | 43 | 150594 | TREJBAL Filip | 1985 | CZE | 1:17.24 | 40.76 |
| 48 | 64 | 180570 | ROMAR Andreas | 1989 | FIN | 1:17.27 | 41.17 |
| 49 | 59 | 700724 | BABUSIAK Jaroslav | 1984 | SVK | 1:17.36 | 42.42 |
| 50 | 54 | 480752 | KONOVALOV Anton | 1985 | RUS | 1:17.58 | 45.47 |
| 51 | 50 | 380291 | RATKIC Ivan | 1986 | CRO | 1:17.70 | 47.13 |
| 52 | 56 | 380298 | SIROKI Tin | 1987 | CRO | 1:17.78 | 48.24 |
| 53 | 48 | 110130 | GAYME Maui | 1983 | CHI | 1:17.82 | 48.80 |
| 54 | 67 | 301312 | SASAKI Akira | 1981 | JPN | 1:17.99 | 51.15 |
| 55 | 69 | 20174 | VIDOSA Roger | 1984 | AND | 1:18.03 | 51.71 |
| 56 | 60 | 40313 | CLIFFORD Will | 1985 | AUS | 1:18.23 | 54.48 |
| 57 | 62 | 410266 | GRIFFIN Benjamin | 1986 | NZE | 1:18.56 | 59.06 |
| 58 | 68 | 410254 | GREIG Andrew | 1985 | NZE | 1:18.69 | 60.86 |
| 59 | 65 | 40324 | FETTERPLACE Brenton | 1985 | AUS | 1:18.90 | 63.77 |
| 59 | 55 | 480794 | CHAADAYEV Alexey | 1986 | RUS | 1:18.90 | 63.77 |
| 61 | 63 | 910001 | ROUX Christophe | 1983 | MDA | 1:19.18 | 67.65 |
| 62 | 61 | 110142 | ANGUITA Cristian | 1984 | CHI | 1:19.38 | 70.42 |
| 63 | 66 | 110178 | MARTINIC Jorge | 1986 | CHI | 1:19.49 | 71.95 |
| 64 | 46 | 110187 | MANDRU Jorge | 1986 | CHI | 1:19.69 | 74.72 |
Did not finish 1st run:
ALBERTSEN Johnny (DAN), ZAHROBSKY Petr (CZE), PERKO Rok (SLO), MICKEL Finlay (GBR), DALCIN Pierre-Emmanuel (FRA)
About the Author: Pete Rugh
