Alpine

Face Shots Replace Cancelled Downhill

by
USSA
2016-02-14 06:52
 

CRANS-MONTANA, Switzerland (Feb. 14, 2016) – The old saying has always been: “If you want a powder day, hold a downhill race!”

After more than 50cm of snow over the past two days, Sunday’s Audi FIS Ski World Cup downhill, which was already rescheduled from Saturday, was cancelled due to unsafe snow conditions.

“The new snow just rotted the snow underneath and created an unstable, bally, hole-filled surface,” said Laurenne Ross (Bend, OR). “So it wasn’t safe for us to race on.”

Crans-Montana

Sunday’s downhill was cancelled after more than 50cm of snow fell in Crans Montana, Switzerland. (Getty Images/Agence Zoom-Vianney Thibault)

So what is a racer to do when the race is cancelled? Bust out the powder skis of course!

“Face shots are the most rewarding thing in the world, other than coming through the finish of a sick downhill!” Ross said, as a few cheers erupted from her teammates in the background. “It was so nice to get to ski powder for a couple of days in a row, because we haven’t been able to do that all year. So, I finally got to use my new powder skis and slash some turns. So it was still a lovely week.”

“I think the powder skiing is a nice compensation for missing the races, so I’m happy with that,” added Alice McKennis (Glenwood Springs, CO).

 

 

A photo posted by Lindsey Vonn (@lindseyvonn) on

 

The women’s speed team moves on to La Thuile, Italy for downhill and super G races Feb. 20-21 where Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) will go for World Cup win number 77. Ross also hopes to carry her momentum from last week’s fifth place downhill finish in Garmisch, Germany to the Italian Alps.

“I’m bummed that it was cancelled because I feel that I could be really fast on this hill, which I proved in the second training run,” said Ross, who finished third in Friday’s second downhill training run in Crans-Montana. “But, I’m going to take that into La Thuile, and take my momentum from Garmisch and try to send it there.”

Fresh tracks
The women enjoyed some fresh tracks in Crans-Montana. (USSA)

Up next though in Crans-Montana, Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO) returns to World Cup racing in Monday’s slalom (4:00 a.m. and 7:00 a.m. EST), which was re-scheduled from Maribor, Slovenia.

QUOTES

Alice McKennis
It’s definitely disappointing to have a race cancelled, but conditions were really, really challenging. So I don’t think it would have been a safe or fair race.  They made the right call.

I think the powder skiing is a nice compensation for missing the races, so I’m happy with that.

Laurenne Ross
It was not really possible (to race) today given the conditions. The new snow just rotted the snow underneath and created an unstable, bally, hole-filled surface. So it wasn’t safe for us to race on.

I’m bummed that it was cancelled because I feel that I could be really fast on this hill, which I proved in the second training run. But, I’m going to take that into La Thuile and take my momentum from Garmisch and try to send it there.

Face shots are the most rewarding thing in the world, other than coming through the finish of a sick downhill! It was so nice to get to ski powder for a couple of days in a row, because we haven’t been able to do that all year. So, I finally got to use my new powder skis and slash some turns. So it was still a lovely week.

Broadcast and Live Streaming (times EST)

Monday, Feb. 15
3:30 a.m. - Women's SL1, Crans-Montana - LIVE NBC Sports Live Extra
6:30 a.m. - Women's SL2, Crans-Montana - LIVE NBC Sports Live Extra
NOTE: Streaming coverage to be confirmed.
 

 


 


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