St Anton super-G preview

2 years ago

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SR Staff Report

Futile attempt to prepare the ST Anton snow for downhill training: Photo Credit GEPA

Who is racing, when and how to watch the women’s St Anton super-G

Due to a winter storm, both scheduled downhill training runs in St Anton were impossible. Therefore, they could not host the scheduled race. Instead, tomorrow will be the first of two women’s World Cup super-G races.

St. Anton is perhaps the most beautiful part of the spectacular Tyrolean Alps. It is the gateway to the Arlberg ski region. Due to its role in inventing the sport, St. Anton is considered the “cradle of alpine skiing.” It is located only an hour’s drive from the beautiful city of Innsbruck, Austria. It is also only a 20-minute drive to Lech, the end of the winter road at the top of the Arlberg pass.

St. Anton was the host of the 2001 FIS Alpine World Championships. It was there that USA’s Daron Rahlves won the super-G ahead of Stephan Eberharter and Hermann Maier.

The women will be competing on the challenging Karl Schranz racecourse. As in every women’s World Cup downhill, the favorite will be the dominant force from Italy, Sofia Goggia. Goggia has won three of the four downhills this season and was second in the other after breaking her hand early in the race. However, note that the only time USA’s Breezy Johnson raced downhill in St. Anton, she was on the podium. Due to an injury, she is still returning to her best, but she has been showing more frequent signs of her elite top-level skiing.

Current top 10 ranked women in the season super-G standings

top ten in the season’s SG standings after two super-Gs

North American teams have eight women entered. The Stifel US Alpine Team has five on the start list and Alpine Canada Alpin has three. USA’s Breezy Johnson is the best-ranked North American racing in St. Anton and is currently 14th for the season. But US skier Isabella Wright is close behind Johnson with a season rank of 17th. However, three other North Americans competing in St. Anton are among the 41 women who have scored downhill points this season. Mikaela Shiffrin is currently the best-ranked North American downhiller but will not be in St. Anton.

North Americans who have scored super-G points this season after two super-G races

North Americans entered to race in the January 14th St-Anton downhill

Bib 21, Breezy Johnson, USST, Rowmark Ski Academy, Atomic
Bib 22, Marie-Michele Gagnon, ACA, Mont Original Ski Club, HEAD
Bib 32, Valerie Grenier, ACA, Club de Ski Mont Tremblant, Rossignol/LOOK
Bib 41, Keely Cashman, USST, Team Palisades Tahoe, Rossignol, LOOK
Bib 42, Bella Wright, USST, Snowbird Sports Education Foundation, Atomic
Bib 46, Trish Mangan, independent, HoliMont Snowsports, Dartmouth College, HEAD, SWIX, ASP
Bib 48, Stefanie Fleckenstein, Independent, Whistler Mountain Ski Club, University of Colorado, Rossignol, LOOK
Bib 49, Lauren Macuga, USST, Park City Ski Team, Winter Sports School, Rossignol, LOOK, SWIX

The downhill will begin at 5:00 am Eastern Time and 2:00 am on the West Coast.

In the USA, St Anton’s downhill can be viewed live and replayed on Peacock TV. St Anton is in Austria and its content rights are controlled by IMG which has sold alpine skiing for US viewers to Peacock TV. Peacock TV requires a subscription.

In Canada, CBC sports offers World Cup racing content