Soelden, U.S. team ready for European World Cup opener

Soelden, U.S. team ready for European World Cup opener{mosimage}Earlier worries about snow conditions at Soelden, Austria, have been put to rest as officials said last week that the October 18-19 snowboard World Cup will take place on the Rettenbach Glacier. Recent cold and wet weather have set up the historic resort with solid conditions for the parallel giant slalom that opens the weekend’ on Saturday. The first parallel slalom of the season follows on Sunday.

On the recommendation of the U.S. Ski Team, which had groups training in nearby Hintertux, the American alpine riders opted to set up shop at the Hintertux glacier to get ready for the Soelden races.

“We have a great set-up here, thanks in part to the legwork of the U.S. ski teams that were here last week,” said alpine head coach Nick Smith. “The development ski staff helped us find the right lodging and the right hill space arrangements for our needs and the snow is better than we expected it would be.”

Headlined by Olympic bronze medalist Chris Klug and 2003 Grand Prix champ Stacia Hookom, the U.S. team is set for the European start. Klug and Hookom finished fifth and second in PGS, respectively, at Soelden last season. Also riding well are Eric Warren and Lisa Kosglow. Kosglow opened the 2004 season in prime fashion with a third-place finish in Valle Nevado, Chile, while Warren posted his career-best World Cup result with fourth in PGS. The Americans put seven of their 10 riders in the finals in the Chilean World Cup start in Valle Nevado last month.

“I’m expecting podiums out of the Euro debut,” said Smith. “We stocked the finals in Chile — It’s time to build on that. The next logical progression would be to get athletes further along in the afternoon.”

Smith also expressed little doubt that Soelden would be ready, saying he expects the glacier to be in tip-top shape. “They take their home-turf World Cups seriously in Austria and they will have the hill in fine shape for the races,” he said.

Scheduled to make the European start is 2003 overall World Cup champion Jasey Jay Anderson of Canada, who was third in the PGS season opener, and overall alpine champ Mathieu Bozzetto of France, who will post his first start of 2004. Switzerland’s Ursula Bruhin, the 2003 PGS champ, and hometown favorite Doris Krings are among the top contenders on the women’s side.