ASPEN, Colo. — Poor old Aspen. It has been running world-class races longer than any other ski area in the United States and it still has it share of troubles and controversy. This week was no easy one for the Aspen organizing committee. After two days of solid downhill training, the track down Ruthie’s got buried by a much needed dump, up to two feet and change.
    After deciding to scrub the super G, the organizing committee worked around the clock and got a shortened downhill prepared. On race day the weather was still iffy but the jury decided to start. Unfortunately early in the race, a great Austrian veteran, Alexander Meissnitzer, fell heavily early into her run. From looking at the video, it appeared she was stiff and got bounced off-balance by a bump. It took 20-plus minutes to move her off the hill during which snow fell almost constantly. The delay killed most of the remaining racers’ chances save for downhill queen Renate Goetschl, who demonstrated once again why she has the title.
ASPEN, Colo. — Poor old Aspen. It has been running world-class races longer than any other ski area in the United States and it still has it share of troubles and controversy. This week was no easy one for the Aspen organizing committee. After two days of solid downhill training, the track down Ruthie’s got buried by a much needed dump, up to two feet and change.
    After deciding to scrub the super G, the organizing committee worked around the clock and got a shortened downhill prepared. On race day the weather was still iffy but the jury decided to start. Unfortunately early in the race, a great Austrian veteran, Alexander Meissnitzer, fell heavily early into her run. From looking at the video, it appeared she was stiff and got bounced off-balance by a bump. It took 20-plus minutes to move her off the hill during which snow fell almost constantly.     The delay killed most of the remaining racers’ chances save for downhill queen Renate Goetschl, who demonstrated once again why she has the title.
    During the stop, the Austrians, as always, started to play politics and gave their racers the “opportunity” not to race. Four, save Goetschl, “chose” not to start. Later in the race, a French skier, Anne Sophie Barthet, crashed heavily down Spring Pitch. She came in late, got out in the soft snow and flew, badly damaging her knee. Then the fog rolled in.
    The Austrians, who have been politically hostile to the FIS for the past decade, challenged the FIS’s decision to run the race even though they had taken the silver and bronze medals. Given the fact that the Austrians would like to run the entire World Cup in their country and if no other nation shows up, so much the better, sadly and unnecessarily the challenge was personally directed at Atle Skaardal, the women’s World Cup Director. Personal attacks are nothing new for the self aggrandizing Austrian federation.
    No one wants to see anyone hurt, but the coaches of the women’s team need to understand two things. Alpine skiing is in financial difficulty, particularly the distaff circuit. Furthermore, until Skaardal arrived on the scene,women’s speed racing was about as exciting as watching grass grow, full of hopelessly dull gliding courses with a couple of turns and no technical challenges. It would be best if the athletes understood that economics drive the sport as well.
    Furthermore, alpine skiing is an outdoor sport. It can snow, be foggy, windy and frigid. It is part of the sport. So if the course conditions dictate not starting rookies or less experienced racers, don’t start them! But don’t second guess once the jury says the race is on.
    Speaking of experience, perhaps USSA should ask the appropriate folks to keep the women’s downhill hill open for a few more days so that the NDS women can get in some training here. Down the road, at Beaver Creek, the Birds of Prey course has often been the site of men’s post-World Cup training. Given the results over the past four years, that training seems to have paid off for the guys.
    Not so for the women, who have never done well here. Only Kristina Koznick has been on the podium here in the immediate past, placing third twice. Actually in the 26 World Cup races held in this old mining community, only Tamara McKinney has been victorious, taking a giant slalom in 1981.
    Judging from this year’s slalom and downhill results the U.S. team could use more time on this hill. Aspen relies a lot less on manmade snow and has its own micro climate as well as good, old fashioned terrain. It is time to bring the nation’s top female youngsters here and get them used to both the hill and winning on this great World Cup stop. 
    — G.B. Jr.