VAL GARDENA, Italy: Austria’s Max Franz thwarted Norwegian hopes of a second successive day of alpine skiing success when he pipped Aksel Lund Svindal to victory in the World Cup downhill at Val Gardena on Saturday.
Franz, claiming his maiden win in the competition and handing Austria their first downhill win in 21 months, finished just 0.04sec ahead of Svindal after the big Norwegian made a crucial mistake on the Saslong course.
American veteran Steve Nyman, whose three World Cup wins were all in downhill on Val Gardena’s Saslong course, was third at just over four tenths of a second off the winning pace.
Norway claimed first and second place in Friday’s super-G in the Italian Dolomites, Kjetil Jansrud and Aleksander Aamodt Kilde finishing ahead of Canada’s Erik Guay.
Jansrud, who won the opening three speed races of the season, stunned fans when he finished in 10th place.
It caps the 27-year-old Franz’s long wait for success on skiing’s elite competition, the Austrian having been tipped for big success when he made his World Cup debut in 2009.
Until Saturday, he had only two podium places, from a downhill and a super-G.
Svindal had crashed out on the Saslong course during Friday’s super-G and although intent on making amends the former two-time overall World Cup winner had to settle for his third podium of the season.
Stuhec continues great form with downhill triumph
In Val D’Isere, France, Ilka Stuhec continued her outstanding form by winning a World Cup downhill race on Saturday for her fourth victory so far in a remarkable season.
The 26-year-old Slovenian finished .28 seconds ahead of Austrian Cornelia Huetter and .32 clear of Italian Soffia Goggia — who is also enjoying a breakthrough season.
Stuhec had never finished higher than fourth in a race prior to this year, but this was her third success in downhill and her second straight win after clinching Friday’s Alpine combined.
Goggia also had a career best of fourth before this season began, and now has six podiums in eight races during this campaign. She was also third in Friday’s race and strengthened her grip on second in the overall standings behind American slalom specialist Mikaela Shiffrin.
Stuhec was ahead of Huetter on all the time splits as she powered down the Oreiller-Killy course in bright morning sunshine.
Only .07 ahead on the fourth split, Stuhec then accelerated away on the bottom section.
She knew she was quick, but even the result surprised her as she put her hands over her face, then sank onto her back, shaking her head in disbelief.
Her two other wins in downhill were both in Lake Louise earlier this month.
It has been a remarkable turnaround.
Prior to this year, she had finished only twice in the top five, with fourth in super-G three years ago.
Meanwhile, defending World Cup overall champion Lara Gut of Switzerland failed to finish for the second straight race, skiing off course after losing balance on the top section.
She was .03 seconds than Huetter at the first time split but then lost time to drift .35 behind on the next.
Then, just like during the slalom run in Friday’s Alpine combined race, Gut went out.
Gut came here with a great chance of overtaking Shiffrin.
Franz, claiming his maiden win in the competition and handing Austria their first downhill win in 21 months, finished just 0.04sec ahead of Svindal after the big Norwegian made a crucial mistake on the Saslong course.
American veteran Steve Nyman, whose three World Cup wins were all in downhill on Val Gardena’s Saslong course, was third at just over four tenths of a second off the winning pace.
Norway claimed first and second place in Friday’s super-G in the Italian Dolomites, Kjetil Jansrud and Aleksander Aamodt Kilde finishing ahead of Canada’s Erik Guay.
Jansrud, who won the opening three speed races of the season, stunned fans when he finished in 10th place.
It caps the 27-year-old Franz’s long wait for success on skiing’s elite competition, the Austrian having been tipped for big success when he made his World Cup debut in 2009.
Until Saturday, he had only two podium places, from a downhill and a super-G.
Svindal had crashed out on the Saslong course during Friday’s super-G and although intent on making amends the former two-time overall World Cup winner had to settle for his third podium of the season.
Stuhec continues great form with downhill triumph
In Val D’Isere, France, Ilka Stuhec continued her outstanding form by winning a World Cup downhill race on Saturday for her fourth victory so far in a remarkable season.
The 26-year-old Slovenian finished .28 seconds ahead of Austrian Cornelia Huetter and .32 clear of Italian Soffia Goggia — who is also enjoying a breakthrough season.
Stuhec had never finished higher than fourth in a race prior to this year, but this was her third success in downhill and her second straight win after clinching Friday’s Alpine combined.
Goggia also had a career best of fourth before this season began, and now has six podiums in eight races during this campaign. She was also third in Friday’s race and strengthened her grip on second in the overall standings behind American slalom specialist Mikaela Shiffrin.
Stuhec was ahead of Huetter on all the time splits as she powered down the Oreiller-Killy course in bright morning sunshine.
Only .07 ahead on the fourth split, Stuhec then accelerated away on the bottom section.
She knew she was quick, but even the result surprised her as she put her hands over her face, then sank onto her back, shaking her head in disbelief.
Her two other wins in downhill were both in Lake Louise earlier this month.
It has been a remarkable turnaround.
Prior to this year, she had finished only twice in the top five, with fourth in super-G three years ago.
Meanwhile, defending World Cup overall champion Lara Gut of Switzerland failed to finish for the second straight race, skiing off course after losing balance on the top section.
She was .03 seconds than Huetter at the first time split but then lost time to drift .35 behind on the next.
Then, just like during the slalom run in Friday’s Alpine combined race, Gut went out.
Gut came here with a great chance of overtaking Shiffrin.
