Mattia Casse surprises in final Kitzbuehel training run
KITZBUEHEL, Austria – It was a training day like any other on Thursday, as racers continued to familiarize themselves with the course. After the top 30 athletes complete their runs, the only people remaining in the finish area were team staff, FIS officials, and just a few members of the media. Italian Mattia Casse wearing bib 47 in the final training run down the Streif managed to set the fastest time, clocking in at 1:56.85 seconds and besting the time set earlier by his teammate Christof Innerhofer.
In fact, the Jumbotron at the finish was no longer displaying video of the athletes’ runs by the time Casse had his start, but split times were available. Green light after green light flashed as the Italian made his way down the course and crossed the line to the surprise of everyone who stuck after the top-seeded racers.
“It’s OK, good run, no mistakes,” Casse explained. “When I saw the green light, I was very, very happy. It’s incredible. The confidence is focused for tomorrow, for the super G and combined, and after these races, focused for the downhill.”
Needless to say, the video feed resumed after that.
Innerhofer, running bib 6, looked to have set an untouchable time after holding an incredibly tight line through the Hausbergkante and across the infamous traverse above the finish, carrying tremendous speed across the line.
“I did a really straight line there,” Innerhofer said of his daredevil skiing on the lower section. “I take some risk because I want to see if this line works, if it’s possible to do this or not. I see that this is the right line, a good line, and I will try to do the same for Saturday.”
The Americans were led by Steven Nyman who finished a solid fifth, 1.16 seconds behind Casse’s pace.
“Today, for the most part, I was really happy with the way I skied and stepped up,” Nyman explained. “I’ve got to maintain the focus through the super G. I know I can do well here. It’s usually a fast set, that’s more my style of super G, and then bring it into the downhill on Saturday.”
American downhill legend Daron Rahlves is on hand as a forerunner and mentor for the American team. The 2003 Hahnenkamm champion hopes to impart some experience and wisdom to the boys in blue come race day.
“Being back here is a pleasure. I’m pretty honored to get back on the hill,” Rahlves said. “I’m just trying to help out with some lines I’ve learned over the years. Hopefully I can pass on some good experience and these guys can get after it to get ready for Saturday and tomorrow’s super G.”
“He’s good, he’s won here and has a great knowledge of the course,” Nyman added. “He’s super fired up. He’s a great coach when you get down to the bottom.”
Austrian Florian Scheiber crashed hard into the netting after his right ski released while navigating the entrance to the bottom traverse. He was airlifted to a nearby hospital where he was diagnosed with a torn ACL and meniscus damage in the right knee, ending his season.
Racing action in Kitzbuehel kicks off tomorrow with the super G and alpine combined, which is scheduled for an 11:45 a.m. CET start time. The downhill will be held on Saturday and the slalom on Sunday.
Official Results
Rank | Bib | FIS Code | Name | Year | Nation | Total Time | Diff. | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
1 | 47 | 990081 | CASSE Mattia | 1990 | ITA | 1:56.85 | ||||
2 | 6 | 293006 | INNERHOFER Christof | 1984 | ITA | 1:57.19 | +0.34 | |||
3 | 19 | 53980 | KRIECHMAYR Vincent | 1991 | AUT | 1:57.88 | +1.03 | |||
4 | 15 | 192746 | THEAUX Adrien | 1984 | FRA | 1:57.92 | +1.07 | |||
5 | 12 | 533866 | NYMAN Steven | 1982 | USA | 1:58.01 | +1.16 | |||
6 | 22 | 422139 | KILDE Aleksander Aamodt | 1992 | NOR | 1:58.14 | +1.29 | |||
6 | 20 | 421328 | SVINDAL Aksel Lund | 1982 | NOR | 1:58.14 | +1.29 | |||
8 | 37 | 194542 | GIRAUD MOINE Valentin | 1992 | FRA | 1:58.16 | +1.31 | |||
9 | 30 | 191964 | POISSON David | 1982 | FRA | 1:58.18 | +1.33 | |||
10 | 11 | 292455 | FILL Peter | 1982 | ITA | 1:58.24 | +1.39 | |||
11 | 16 | 421483 | JANSRUD Kjetil | 1985 | NOR | 1:58.26 | +1.41 | |||
12 | 18 | 50742 | REICHELT Hannes | 1980 | AUT | 1:58.39 | +1.54 | |||
13 | 51 | 293550 | MARSAGLIA Matteo | 1985 | ITA | 1:58.44 | +1.59 | |||
13 | 9 | 191740 | CLAREY Johan | 1981 | FRA | 1:58.44 | +1.59 | |||
15 | 33 | 53933 | SCHWEIGER Patrick | 1990 | AUT | 1:58.48 | +1.63 | |||
16 | 8 | 102263 | GUAY Erik | 1981 | CAN | 1:58.54 | +1.69 | |||
17 | 25 | 194167 | MUZATON Maxence | 1990 | FRA | 1:58.57 | +1.72 | |||
18 | 43 | 294277 | KLOTZ Siegmar | 1987 | ITA | 1:58.65 | +1.80 | |||
19 | 14 | 530874 | GANONG Travis | 1988 | USA | 1:58.68 | +1.83 | |||
20 | 26 | 200379 | SANDER Andreas | 1989 | GER | 1:58.75 | +1.90 | |||
21 | 2 | 103271 | THOMSEN Benjamin | 1987 | CAN | 1:58.76 | +1.91 | |||
22 | 49 | 930024 | MAPLE Wiley | 1990 | USA | 1:58.79 | +1.94 | |||
23 | 61 | 192504 | MERMILLOD BLONDIN Thomas | 1984 | FRA | 1:58.81 | +1.96 | |||
24 | 41 | 194298 | GIEZENDANNER Blaise | 1991 | FRA | 1:58.85 | +2.00 | |||
25 | 23 | 511529 | GISIN Marc | 1988 | SUI | 1:58.89 | +2.04 | |||
26 | 34 | 53981 | KROELL Johannes | 1991 | AUT | 1:58.92 | +2.07 | |||
27 | 10 | 51215 | BAUMANN Romed | 1986 | AUT | 1:59.03 | +2.18 | |||
28 | 17 | 192932 | FAYED Guillermo | 1985 | FRA | 1:59.06 | +2.21 | |||
29 | 5 | 50753 | KROELL Klaus | 1980 | AUT | 1:59.09 | +2.24 | |||
30 | 21 | 291459 | PARIS Dominik | 1989 | ITA | 1:59.18 | +2.33 | |||
31 | 31 | 560447 | SPORN Andrej | 1981 | SLO | 1:59.22 | +2.37 | |||
32 | 28 | 50858 | STREITBERGER Georg | 1981 | AUT | 1:59.25 | +2.40 | |||
33 | 13 | 511313 | JANKA Carlo | 1986 | SUI | 1:59.28 | +2.43 | |||
34 | 7 | 511383 | FEUZ Beat | 1987 | SUI | 1:59.39 | +2.54 | |||
35 | 27 | 54005 | STRIEDINGER Otmar | 1991 | AUT | 1:59.73 | +2.88 | |||
36 | 46 | 380292 | ZRNCIC DIM Natko | 1986 | CRO | 1:59.99 | +3.14 | |||
37 | 35 | 511981 | WEBER Ralph | 1993 | SUI | 2:00.01 | +3.16 | |||
38 | 48 | 202196 | BRANDNER Klaus | 1990 | GER | 2:00.07 | +3.22 | |||
39 | 40 | 934643 | GOLDBERG Jared | 1991 | USA | 2:00.16 | +3.31 | |||
40 | 24 | 530939 | WEIBRECHT Andrew | 1986 | USA | 2:00.25 | +3.40 | |||
41 | 3 | 533131 | SULLIVAN Marco | 1980 | USA | 2:00.34 | +3.49 | |||
42 | 62 | 103612 | PRIDY Morgan | 1990 | CAN | 2:00.45 | +3.60 | |||
43 | 45 | 180570 | ROMAR Andreas | 1989 | FIN | 2:00.51 | +3.66 | |||
44 | 39 | 561216 | KLINE Bostjan | 1991 | SLO | 2:00.64 | +3.79 | |||
45 | 36 | 293141 | VARETTONI Silvano | 1984 | ITA | 2:00.81 | +3.96 | |||
46 | 29 | 292514 | HEEL Werner | 1982 | ITA | 2:00.83 | +3.98 | |||
47 | 57 | 110324 | VON APPEN Henrik | 1994 | CHI | 2:00.86 | +4.01 | |||
48 | 44 | 561255 | CATER Martin | 1992 | SLO | 2:00.87 | +4.02 | |||
49 | 54 | 511808 | SCHMED Fernando | 1991 | SUI | 2:01.10 | +4.25 | |||
50 | 53 | 54009 | WALDER Christian | 1991 | AUT | 2:01.17 | +4.32 | |||
51 | 4 | 102899 | OSBORNE-PARADIS Manuel | 1984 | CAN | 2:01.42 | +4.57 | |||
52 | 67 | 54080 | NEUMAYER Christopher | 1992 | AUT | 2:01.97 | +5.12 | |||
53 | 42 | 103512 | FRISCH Jeffrey | 1984 | CAN | 2:02.02 | +5.17 | |||
54 | 60 | 6290393 | CAZZANIGA Davide | 1992 | ITA | 2:02.19 | +5.34 | |||
55 | 52 | 294904 | PANGRAZZI Paolo | 1988 | ITA | 2:02.40 | +5.55 | |||
55 | 50 | 511847 | MANI Nils | 1992 | SUI | 2:02.40 | +5.55 | |||
57 | 64 | 561310 | HROBAT Miha | 1995 | SLO | 2:02.43 | +5.58 | |||
58 | 72 | 700879 | ZAMPA Andreas | 1993 | SVK | 2:02.64 | +5.79 | |||
59 | 59 | 6290985 | BUZZI Emanuele | 1994 | ITA | 2:03.23 | +6.38 | |||
60 | 63 | 104096 | THOMPSON Broderick | 1994 | CAN | 2:03.37 | +6.52 | |||
61 | 66 | 670052 | KHUBER Martin | 1992 | KAZ | 2:04.65 | +7.80 | |||
62 | 68 | 6290845 | BOSCA Guglielmo | 1993 | ITA | 2:05.86 | +9.01 | |||
63 | 71 | 291318 | TONETTI Riccardo | 1989 | ITA | 2:05.97 | +9.12 | |||
64 | 65 | 380341 | ULLRICH Max | 1994 | CRO | 2:15.05 | +18.20 | |||
65 | 56 | 6530104 | BENNETT Bryce | 1992 | USA | 20:17.18 | +18:20.33 | |||
Did not start 1st run | ||||||||||
70 | 511896 | MURISIER Justin | 1992 | SUI | ||||||
69 | 511852 | CAVIEZEL Gino | 1992 | SUI | ||||||
58 | 511638 | TUMLER Thomas | 1989 | SUI | ||||||
38 | 561217 | KOSI Klemen | 1991 | SLO | ||||||
1 | 150398 | BANK Ondrej | 1980 | CZE | ||||||
Did not finish 1st run | ||||||||||
55 | 51332 | SCHEIBER Florian | 1987 | AUT | ||||||
32 | 103762 | WERRY Tyler | 1991 | CAN |