Black Diamond: Bravo Vail/Beaver Creek

By Published On: February 18th, 2015Comments Off on Black Diamond: Bravo Vail/Beaver Creek

Well before the last racer crossed the finish line, the 2015 Alpine World Championships were already being hailed as a major success by both the USSA and the FIS. Enthusiastic crowds marked the event — an estimated 130,000 filled the stands and the sidelines for thrilling competition under bright sun and unexpectedly springlike Colorado blue-sky days.

The internationalism of the event was impressive. There were folks attending from around the world: fans from Sweden, Slovakia, Finland and Japan, to name but a few. Some were following their athletes from such far-flung spots as Malta, Timor-Leste and Kyrgyzstan. In total, 68 nations traveled to Vail/Beaver Creek to participate in the competitions.

Much of the credit for the welcoming atmosphere belongs to the team in the booth at the huge finish area. Peter Graves, a veteran Olympic stadium announcer, and Doug Lewis, a World Champion downhill bronze medalist himself, made sure that the fans pushed for the athletes from wherever. The oft-overbearing USA, USA chant was not prevalent. Instead Lewis chanted “Aller, aller, le bleu”or “Hopp, Hopp Schwyz,” and joked about the Italians while Graves made sure the fans knew a fact or several about each racer.

The Vail/Beaver Creek organizing committee did a spectacular job both on the hill and in the villages. The already renowned Talon Crew fought several days of snow at the beginning of the event and never missed a beat, maintaining the best racing surface on the hill despite the weather. Smiling volunteers were everywhere, helping, advising and, where necessary, enforcing nicely. The medals plaza may have been the grandest the sport has ever seen — a giant stage on which athletes were positioned high above a platform where various live bands entertained throngs of fans.

For USSA athletics, the event had mixed blessings. Save for Lindsey Vonn, the rest of the women’s speed team didn’t seem mentally ready for the level of competition or at ease with the Raptor track. Yes, Vonn struggled in the downhill and combined after a great bronze effort in the super G, but her second run in the giant slalom showed us that the skill was certainly there. It confirmed her zealous perseverance over injury is paying off. Shiffrin was good in the GS — perhaps not up to too-high expectations. In slalom, however, the gate ingénue electrified her hometown crowd with a brilliant performance, taking her third straight big-event gold!

Bode Miller’s killer first 59 seconds in the opening race ended in a disastrous crash that tossed him out of the event and casted an opening pall over the team. Any negative thoughts soon vanished with Travis Ganong’s superlative silver medal run in the downhill. Then there was Ted Ligety, first capturing bronze in the combined and then capping it off with a dazzling, come from behind effort to earn his third straight gold medal in GS, a first for the discipline.

As for the rest of the world, save for the men’s downhill (their worst in history), the Austrians dominated. Austria’s diminutive racer Anna Fenninger skied like one of her beloved cheetahs, capturing two golds and a silver. In all, the Austrians took home nine medals including five of the 11 gold opportunities.

Perhaps most important was the predominance of television coverage on NBC, NBCSN, and Universal Sports: 35 hours of exposure that had never before occurred in the U.S. Furthermore, the broadcasters, for the most part, elected to show the races as they do in Europe — namely, “showing a race,” rather than putting on the usual Olympic pablum and drivel that NBC forces on us every four years. It was good coverage, brilliantly choreographed from 200 camera positions including aerial tramways and the like. While ratings aren’t available yet, early signs indicate a more than positive result.

After all the bright sun and warmth, perhaps it was fitting that snow came on the last day, falling heavily on an surprising slalom result that saw France’s Jean-Baptiste Grange take gold. As the Marseillaise echoed off the Birds of Prey slope, it was a fitting end to what has been one of the better World Championships. From this perspective, the accolades were understated and more than deserved. Bravo to Vail/ Beaver Creek. It was fun, great competition, and a treat to attend.

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About the Author: Gary Black