Prepping for perfection in Val d’Isere downhill training run
Overnight snowfall in Val d’Isere could not stop Wednesday’s downhill training run for the 63 ladies ready to take on the World Cup track in the French resort. With the help of a snowcat and course workers, the fresh blanket was pushed aside, clearing a path for the athletes down the Oreiller Killy.
The 39-gate course over almost 1.8 miles drops nearly 2,500 feet to the village below. The fastest skier of the day, Nicole Schmidhofer of Austria, completed the course in 1:47.89 seconds, running at an average of 60 mph.
“It was only a training run,” said Schmidhofer. “If I can be in the top five on race day, that would be great.”
Canadian Larisa Yurkiw – who actually topped the results sheet – missed gates during her run.
Current overall and downhill World Cup points leader Lindsey Vonn had a solid run, second fastest of those who completed the full course. The American has not been known for showing all her cards during training runs. In Lake Louise, she stood up for the final gates on course but went full throttle to win the race – in fact, sweeping the entire speed series.
“I was trying some new skis today,” Vonn said after her run. “I was training GS this morning. I was just trying to conserve my energy and get a feeling for the snow. I wasn’t pushing very hard. It was definitely tough conditions. The snow was pretty soft from the snow last night. I had some difficulties and was on the outside line several times.”
U.S. Ski Team veterans Alice McKennis, Stacey Cook, and Laurenne Ross all finished solid training runs in the top 15. Jackie Wiles will look to run the jets a bit faster on Thursday after finishing 37th, 2.73 seconds off Schmidhofer’s pace.
The women continue preparations with another training run tomorrow. The first race at Val d’Isere is scheduled for Friday, Dec. 18 at 10:30 a.m. CET, as a women’s combined utilizing a downhill run.
Official Results
| Rank | Bib | FIS Code | Name | Year | Nation | Total Time | Diff. | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 6 | 106849 | YURKIW Larisa | 1988 | CAN | 1:47.79 | ||||
| 2 | 9 | 55970 | SCHMIDHOFER Nicole | 1989 | AUT | 1:47.89 | +0.10 | |||
| 3 | 16 | 537544 | VONN Lindsey | 1984 | USA | 1:48.00 | +0.21 | |||
| 4 | 14 | 355050 | WEIRATHER Tina | 1989 | LIE | 1:48.01 | +0.22 | |||
| 5 | 17 | 515766 | SUTER Fabienne | 1985 | SUI | 1:48.21 | +0.42 | |||
| 6 | 41 | 516145 | KUENG Mirena | 1988 | SUI | 1:48.50 | +0.71 | |||
| 7 | 2 | 516319 | SUTER Corinne | 1994 | SUI | 1:48.54 | +0.75 | |||
| 8 | 12 | 296472 | FANCHINI Elena | 1985 | ITA | 1:48.55 | +0.76 | |||
| 9 | 22 | 516138 | GUT Lara | 1991 | SUI | 1:48.59 | +0.80 | |||
| 10 | 5 | 538685 | MCKENNIS Alice | 1989 | USA | 1:48.91 | +1.12 | |||
| 11 | 28 | 425880 | SEJERSTED Lotte Smiseth | 1991 | NOR | 1:49.01 | +1.22 | |||
| 11 | 11 | 537582 | COOK Stacey | 1984 | USA | 1:49.01 | +1.22 | |||
| 13 | 8 | 538573 | ROSS Laurenne | 1988 | USA | 1:49.06 | +1.27 | |||
| 14 | 20 | 56125 | PUCHNER Mirjam | 1992 | AUT | 1:49.09 | +1.30 | |||
| 15 | 40 | 197497 | MIRADOLI Romane | 1994 | FRA | 1:49.21 | +1.42 | |||
| 16 | 35 | 297702 | MARSAGLIA Francesca | 1990 | ITA | 1:49.47 | +1.68 | |||
| 17 | 36 | 375018 | COLETTI Alexandra | 1983 | MON | 1:49.49 | +1.70 | |||
| 17 | 21 | 56087 | SIEBENHOFER Ramona | 1991 | AUT | 1:49.49 | +1.70 | |||
| 19 | 39 | 565320 | FERK Marusa | 1988 | SLO | 1:49.66 | +1.87 | |||
| 19 | 23 | 296431 | STUFFER Verena | 1984 | ITA | 1:49.66 | +1.87 | |||
| 21 | 33 | 516185 | HAEHLEN Joana | 1992 | SUI | 1:49.69 | +1.90 | |||
| 22 | 26 | 296427 | SCHNARF Johanna | 1984 | ITA | 1:49.74 | +1.95 | |||
| 23 | 13 | 245066 | MIKLOS Edit | 1988 | HUN | 1:49.75 | +1.96 | |||
| 24 | 25 | 565360 | STUHEC Ilka | 1990 | SLO | 1:49.76 | +1.97 | |||
| 25 | 42 | 299466 | DELAGO Nicol | 1996 | ITA | 1:49.78 | +1.99 | |||
| 25 | 38 | 55759 | KIRCHGASSER Michaela | 1985 | AUT | 1:49.78 | +1.99 | |||
| 27 | 27 | 56088 | TIPPLER Tamara | 1991 | AUT | 1:49.84 | +2.05 | |||
| 28 | 50 | 516219 | NUFER Priska | 1992 | SUI | 1:49.96 | +2.17 | |||
| 29 | 31 | 297910 | CURTONI Elena | 1991 | ITA | 1:50.01 | +2.22 | |||
| 30 | 19 | 205218 | REBENSBURG Viktoria | 1989 | GER | 1:50.05 | +2.26 | |||
| 31 | 57 | 206520 | DORSCH Patrizia | 1994 | GER | 1:50.18 | +2.39 | |||
| 31 | 18 | 55576 | GOERGL Elisabeth | 1981 | AUT | 1:50.18 | +2.39 | |||
| 33 | 43 | 515997 | FEIERABEND Denise | 1989 | SUI | 1:50.35 | +2.56 | |||
| 33 | 29 | 56177 | VENIER Stephanie | 1993 | AUT | 1:50.35 | +2.56 | |||
| 35 | 15 | 56128 | HUETTER Cornelia | 1992 | AUT | 1:50.46 | +2.67 | |||
| 36 | 32 | 298323 | GOGGIA Sofia | 1992 | ITA | 1:50.53 | +2.74 | |||
| 37 | 4 | 539536 | WILES Jacqueline | 1992 | USA | 1:50.62 | +2.83 | |||
| 38 | 49 | 155563 | KRIZOVA Klara | 1989 | CZE | 1:50.68 | +2.89 | |||
| 39 | 24 | 196968 | BAILET Margot | 1990 | FRA | 1:50.69 | +2.90 | |||
| 40 | 53 | 56336 | DENGSCHERZ Dajana | 1996 | AUT | 1:50.81 | +3.02 | |||
| 41 | 7 | 296008 | MERIGHETTI Daniela | 1981 | ITA | 1:50.87 | +3.08 | |||
| 42 | 30 | 55913 | MOSER Stefanie | 1988 | AUT | 1:51.03 | +3.24 | |||
| 42 | 10 | 505886 | KLING Kajsa | 1988 | SWE | 1:51.03 | +3.24 | |||
| 44 | 44 | 197665 | LARROUY Noemie | 1995 | FRA | 1:51.06 | +3.27 | |||
| 45 | 52 | 565333 | BRODNIK Vanja | 1989 | SLO | 1:51.08 | +3.29 | |||
| 46 | 51 | 206548 | MAGG Ann Katrin | 1994 | GER | 1:51.51 | +3.72 | |||
| 47 | 56 | 516280 | HOLDENER Wendy | 1993 | SUI | 1:51.63 | +3.84 | |||
| 48 | 63 | 56224 | MAIER Sabrina | 1994 | AUT | 1:51.68 | +3.89 | |||
| 48 | 1 | 197295 | PIOT Jennifer | 1992 | FRA | 1:51.68 | +3.89 | |||
| 50 | 59 | 516284 | GISIN Michelle | 1993 | SUI | 1:51.71 | +3.92 | |||
| 50 | 3 | 425929 | MOWINCKEL Ragnhild | 1992 | NOR | 1:51.71 | +3.92 | |||
| 52 | 34 | 56311 | REISINGER Elisabeth | 1996 | AUT | 1:51.83 | +4.04 | |||
| 53 | 60 | 196928 | WORLEY Tessa | 1989 | FRA | 1:51.86 | +4.07 | |||
| 54 | 45 | 56200 | NICOLUSSI Kerstin | 1994 | AUT | 1:51.95 | +4.16 | |||
| 55 | 54 | 197641 | GAUCHE Laura | 1995 | FRA | 1:51.98 | +4.19 | |||
| 56 | 47 | 197615 | BESSY Anouk | 1995 | FRA | 1:52.24 | +4.45 | |||
| 57 | 46 | 56258 | AGER Christina | 1995 | AUT | 1:52.54 | +4.75 | |||
| 58 | 48 | 197592 | REILLER Gaelle | 1995 | FRA | 1:52.55 | +4.76 | |||
| 59 | 55 | 299363 | ZENERE Asja | 1996 | ITA | 1:53.03 | +5.24 | |||
| 60 | 37 | 206460 | WENIG Michaela | 1992 | GER | 1:53.38 | +5.59 | |||
| 61 | 64 | 465098 | CAILL Ania Monica | 1995 | ROU | 1:55.70 | +7.91 | |||
| 62 | 58 | 565401 | BUCIK Ana | 1993 | SLO | 1:55.79 | +8.00 | |||
| 63 | 61 | 315187 | IGNJATOVIC Nevena | 1990 | SRB | 1:56.78 | +8.99 | |||
| Did not start 1st run | ||||||||||
| 62 | 115115 | BARAHONA Noelle | 1990 | CHI | ||||||
About the Author: Gabbi Hall
