European Report: Brits find real deal in Alcott; women's race moved to Haus

European Report: Brits find real deal in Alcott; women’s race moved to Haus{mosimage}British ski racing fans sense they have the real deal with Chimene Alcott, who blasted her way to ninth in Sunday’s downhill at Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy.

The finish was Alcott’s best World Cup result of her young career and the best by a British a female skier since Gina Hathorn was ninth in a slalom at Heavenly Valley in March, 1972.

‘Everyone has been telling me I can do it because technically I am a really good skier but I am so inexperienced that I don’t take the right line sometimes’ the 21-year-old told Reuters. ‘I’m pretty confused because I didn’t ski much differently from on Saturday and I finished 32nd then and ninth Sunday.’

The friendly Alcott, who also models and trains near Salzburg, Austria, is being taken by keen English ski racing fans, but seems disappointed that her accomplishments haven’t spread to mainstream British media.

‘I got 11th in Lake Louise and I was so excited and I thought back home it is going to be crazy with the press and everything but when I got back there was nothing. It was like no-one knew what I had done’ she said. ‘Maybe that is a good thing but hopefully in the long run we have such a strong team now with the Baxters (Alain and Noel) and Finlay Mickel that people will take notice.’

>> Women’s downhill rescheduled

A women’s World Cup downhill postponed from Lech am Arlberg has been moved to another Austrian resort, Haus, later this month, International Ski Federation (FIS) officials said on Monday.

The downhill would be held on January 30, joining another downhill and a super-G already scheduled for Haus on January 31 and February 1, the FIS said from its Swiss headquarters.

Lech organisers told the FIS before the season started that they would not be able to host the race, originally planned for January 10 with a slalom and a combined event, both of which have now been scrapped. By The Associated Press

>> Swiss skier undergoes operation

Swiss skier Tamara Müller is recovering from knee surgery Monday after she tore her left knee in training last week at Cortina d’Ampezzo, the Swiss ski federation reported. Müller, 26, injured both knees and her ankle, but on her left knee required surgery. It was not known how long rehabilitation is expected to take for Müller, whose best World Cup result was fourth in the super G last year at Cortina.

>> Kitzbuehel history

Kitzbuehel hosts ski racing’s most popular men’s race with a history dating back 70 years. Here’s a quick look at racing history on the Hahnenkamm as provided by the Kitzbuehel ski club.

>> 1930/31

First international Hahnenkamm race.

>> 1934 – 1961

Women included in the Hahnenkamm races.

>> 1935

Construction of the Brückenschuss as part of the downhill run.

>> 1938 – 1945

World War II interrupts the string of Hahnenkamm races.

>> 1940s

The Streif and Ganslern establish themselves as the runs for the Hahnenkamm races.

>> 1950s

Upgrade to racing standards of the ‘Startschuss’ ‘Mausefalle’ and ‘Einfahrt’ downhill stretches.

>> 1960s

Upgrade of the ‘Alte Schneise’ segment of the downhill.

>> 1966

On Jan. 20, 1996, another chapter of skiing history is written on the Streif when the idea of the World Cup is born at the ‘Seidlalm.’

>> 1967

The first Hahnenkamm World Cup event is held.

>> 1970s

Upgrade of the ‘Hausberg’ section

>> 1980s

Intensive work to upgrade safety along the entire length of the Streif.

>> 1990

Staging of the first sprint downhill in two runs at the 50th Anniversary Races “KITZ-KIRI-SKI”

>> 1993

After being forced to cancel the Hahnenkamm in 1964, 1988 and 1993 due to poor snow conditions, the Kitzbühel Lift Co. installs artificial snow-making equipment to provide total coverage along the Streif and Ganslern runs. Construction of the Seidlalm jum

>> 1990s

Further intensive safety improvements along the Streif and Ganslern runs, along with on-going improvements in spectator services. Running of Sprint-Downhill and super G as a third element within the framework of Hahnenkamm competition.