Feuz wins first DH at Kvitfjell, Cuche lead shrinks

By Published On: March 11th, 2011Comments Off on Feuz wins first DH at Kvitfjell, Cuche lead shrinks

It looks like the downhill title chase is going to get interesting. A Swiss won the first of two back-to-back downhills at Kvitfjell Friday, but it wasn’t standings leader Didier Cuche. Beat Feuz collected his first career World Cup win in the race, narrowly besting newly crowned World Downhill Champion Erik Guay. The Canadian started his late season charge to the super G title at Kvitfjell a season ago and finished second in the downhill at the site in 2007.

Michael Walchhofer picked up third in the race and picked up 15 points on Cuche, the fifth place finisher. Cuche leads the downhill standings by 50points with two downhills remaining. Walchhofer, a three-time World Cup downhill champion announced at season’s start this would be his last tour. Cuche, at 36 a year older than Walchhofer, has not indicated if he will race next season but did allow at World Championships in February he did not intend to race in the 2013 championships at Schladming, Austria.

The race started in bright sunshine, but clouds and wind moved in about skier 16 and the light went from good to horrible. Feuz, the fifth skier to start, said he “took advantage of the conditions,” but indicated he was not surprised by the outcome.

While the win might have been considered a surprise by many, it wasn’t to him. It came a day before his 24th birthday after missing two seasons to injury. He has been putting in the training time preparing to supplement the talent he showed with three World Junior medals in 2007.

“I always knew I could ski fast…. For me it is a confirmation that I can be among the best. It is not really a surprise.”

He added, “I caught a super ride.”

Guay said he was happy to be able to keep the momentum going from his gold medal win. “It was great in Garmisch (site of the World Championships). I’m really happy to be able to follow it up with another podium so it didn’t seem like a one-shot deal.”

In addition to gaining a win, he gained a spot in Canadian history, passing Ken Read on the World Cup list of podium winners. He now has 16 and trails only Steve Podborski’s 20 on the men’s all-time list.

“To be ahead of some of the Crazy Canucks, it’s very special for sure. I’ll keep working on it.”

Cuche said, considering the conditions when he started (22nd) he was satisfied with his fifth place. “I kept the damage within limits.”

Walchhofer said his podium finish “leaves me with a small chance,” for the downhill trophy.

Jan Hudec gave the Canadians two finishers in the top 10 with tenth, his best result since January 2009.

An injury plagued U.S. team got scoring from Steven Nyman in 25th and Erik Fisher in 27th, his first top 30 of the season.

Feuz photo by Gepa

The SCOOP
By Hank McKee
Men’s World Cup downhill, Kvitfjell, Norway, March 11, 2011
Equipment

Skier, skis/boots/bindings
1 Feuz, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
2 Guay, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
3 Walchhofer, Atomic/Atomic/Atomic
4 Baumann, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
5 Cuche, Head/Head/Head
6 Fayed, Head/Head/Head
7 Kroell, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
8 Kueng, Salomon/Salomon/Salomon
9 Jerman, Stoeckli/Lange/Atomic
10 Hudec, Rossignol/Rossignol/Rossignol

Men’s World Cup downhill, Kvitfjell, Norway, March 11, 2011. … Technically it is the second downhill of the men’s schedule, a make-up race from Beaver Creek Dec. 12.  … It is the 31st race held of the men’s 38 race schedule with one cancellation. … The first of three to be held at Kvitfjell. … There are  six men’s races remaining. … It is the second of nine scheduled downhills, the seventh to be held. … It is the 44th Cup race at Kvitfjell and 21st downhill.

It is the first career World Cup win for Beat Feuz and just his fourth top 10, two of those coming in combined. … He was seventh earlier this season in DH at Chamonix, his next best Cup finish. … He had not been better than 18th at Kvitfjell previously.

It is the 15th career World Cup podium for Erik Guay. … his third at Kvitfjell having won the super G last season and placed second in DH in 2007. … It is his third podium of the season having won gold in DH at World Championships and placing third in super G at Val Gardena Dec. 17.

It is the 48th career World Cup podium for Michael Walchhofer. … his 35th in downhill. … It is his third podium scored at Kvitfjell, having placed second in back-to-back races in 2009. … It is his fourth Cup podium of the season after winning three downhills before the end of December (Lake Louise, Val Gardena and Bormio).

It is the ninth career top 10 for Jan Hudec. … the sixth in downhill. … It is his best result of the season beating the 11th at Lake Louise Nov. 27 by one placing. … It is the second best career result (of four – all this season) for Benjamin Thomsen. … He finished 16th at Val Gardena Dec. 18. … It is the 17th career scoring result for Steven Nyman. … his sixth at Kvitfjell. … It is his fourth Cup score of the season and third in DH. … It is the 11th career scoring result for Erik Fisher. … his first of the season and his first at Kvitfjell.

Ivica Kostelic (24th in race) holds the lead of the World Cup overall standings 1314-770 (550pts) over Didier Cuche (5th in race) with six races remaining. … Aksel Lund Svindal  (28th in race) is third overall with 725pts. … Ted Ligety (48th in race) is the top American on the overall list in seventh with 588pts. … Erik Guay the top Canadian in 32nd with 237pts. … Cuche leads the downhill standings 424-374 (50pts) over Walchhofer with two races remaining. … Klaus Kroell (7th in race) is third in the DH standings with 315pts. … Silvan Zurbriggen with 303pts and Romed Baumann with 251pts have not been eliminated from title contention. … Austria leads the men’s Nations Cup 4987-3527 over Switzerland with France third at 2724. … The U.S. is sixth with 1440, Canada ninth with 1087pts.

Place   Kvitfjell
(NOR)
  Discipline   Downhill
Date   11.03.2011   Category   FIS World Cup
Race codex   1595   Gender   M
Valid for FIS Points   YES   TD Name   Lang Roine (SWE)
       
  
Rank Bib FIS Code Name Year Nation Total Time FIS Points
 1  5  511383 FEUZ Beat  1987  SUI   1:47.39  0.00
 2  8  102263 GUAY Erik  1981  CAN   1:47.44  0.62
 3  21  50041 WALCHHOFER Michael  1975  AUT   1:47.50  1.36
 4  19  51215 BAUMANN Romed  1986  AUT   1:47.57  2.23
 5  22  510030 CUCHE Didier  1974  SUI   1:47.63  2.97
 6  1  192932 FAYED Guillermo  1985  FRA   1:47.78  4.83
 7  16  50753 KROELL Klaus  1980  AUT   1:47.85  5.70
 8  4  511139 KUENG Patrick  1984  SUI   1:47.95  6.94
 9  13  560332 JERMAN Andrej  1978  SLO   1:48.00  7.55
 10  6  102271 HUDEC Jan  1981  CAN   1:48.15  9.41
 11  17  511313 JANKA Carlo  1986  SUI   1:48.17  9.66
 12  11  560447 SPORN Andrej  1981  SLO   1:48.22  10.28
 13  10  191740 CLAREY Johan  1981  FRA   1:48.30  11.27
 14  20  510890 ZURBRIGGEN Silvan  1981  SUI   1:48.44  13.00
 15  30  51327 PUCHNER Joachim  1987  AUT   1:48.51  13.87
 16  7  191591 BERTRAND Yannick  1980  FRA   1:48.57  14.61
 17  49  150398 BANK Ondrej  1980  CZE   1:48.67  15.85
 18  53  103271 THOMSEN Benjamin  1987  CAN   1:48.74  16.72
 18  12  192746 THEAUX Adrien  1984  FRA   1:48.74  16.72
 20  3  511529 GISIN Marc  1988  SUI   1:48.75  16.84
 21  32  421483 JANSRUD Kjetil  1985  NOR   1:48.80  17.46
 22  2  510747 GRUENENFELDER Tobias  1977  SUI   1:48.86  18.21
 23  39  561067 PERKO Rok  1985  SLO   1:48.88  18.45
 24  28  380260 KOSTELIC Ivica  1979  CRO   1:48.89  18.58
 25  24  533866 NYMAN Steven  1982  USA   1:48.95  19.32
 26  9  293006 INNERHOFER Christof  1984  ITA   1:48.99  19.82
 27  48  534939 FISHER Erik  1985  USA   1:49.04  20.43
 28  18  421328 SVINDAL Aksel Lund  1982  NOR   1:49.05  20.56
 29  25  510767 HOFFMANN Ambrosi  1977  SUI   1:49.06  20.68
 30  38  50742 REICHELT Hannes  1980  AUT   1:49.08  20.93
 31  15  292455 FILL Peter  1982  ITA   1:49.13  21.55
 32  40  53981 KROELL Johannes  1991  AUT   1:49.16  21.92
 33  54  293550 MARSAGLIA Matteo  1985  ITA   1:49.19  22.29
 33  27  191964 POISSON David  1982  FRA   1:49.19  22.29
 35  31  201606 KEPPLER Stephan  1983  GER   1:49.22  22.66
 36  42  380292 ZRNCIC-DIM Natko  1986  CRO   1:49.40  24.89
 37  14  292514 HEEL Werner  1982  ITA   1:49.42  25.14
 38  36  53837 KRAMER Manuel  1989  AUT   1:49.66  28.11
 39  51  561216 KLINE Bostjan  1991  SLO   1:49.71  28.73
 40  29  501076 OLSSON Hans  1984  SWE   1:49.72  28.86
 41  43  180570 ROMAR Andreas  1989  FIN   1:49.74  29.10
 42  46  930024 MAPLE Wiley  1990  USA   1:49.82  30.09
 43  34  294277 KLOTZ Siegmar  1987  ITA   1:49.97  31.95
 44  45  294911 PATSCHEIDER Hagen  1988  ITA   1:50.13  33.93
 45  50  561087 MARKIC Gasper  1986  SLO   1:50.15  34.18
 46  47  100558 COOK Dustin  1989  CAN   1:50.49  38.39
 47  26  500150 JAERBYN Patrik  1969  SWE   1:50.61  39.88
 48  33  534562 LIGETY Ted  1984  USA   1:50.70  40.99
 49  55  501230 ERICSSON Daniel  1987  SWE   1:50.74  41.49
 50  44  53936 DUERAGER Markus  1990  AUT   1:50.82  42.48
 51  56  103656 HALBERT Kelby  1990  CAN   1:50.95  44.09
 52  52  194167 MUZATON Maxence  1990  FRA   1:51.39  49.54
 53  57  531799 FORD Tommy  1989  USA   1:51.45  50.28
 54  35  510498 ZUEGER Cornel  1981  SUI   1:51.49  50.78
Did not finish 1st run
   41  53817 FRANZ Max  1989  AUT     
   37  511142 LUEOEND Vitus  1984  SUI     
   23  291459 PARIS Dominik  1989  ITA   

Share This Article

About the Author: Hank McKee

In memoriam: The veteran of the staff, McKee started with Ski Racing in 1980. Over the seasons, he covered virtually every aspect of the sport, from the pro tours to junior racing, freestyle and World Cup alpine competition. He wrote the first national stories for many U.S. team stars, and was still around to report on their retirements. “Longevity has its rewards,” he said, “but it’s a slow process.”