St Anton super-G encore preview

SR Staff Report

St Anton’s original schedule included a downhill and super-G. However, due to a storm, they could not provide the required day of downhill training to host a race. Fortunately, super-G doesn’t require a training run or as long of a course so they changed their programs to two super-G races. For Federica Brignone, it was a perfect solution. The all-around Italian skier earned her second podium and her first victory of the year.

Super-G courses are usually a mix of GS and downhill elements. Today’s course set but an Italian coach, Giovanni Feltrin, clearly favored the GS skiers. It worked perfectly for Brignone. The course had to be shortened because of overnight snow, which also added an element of excitement by allowing the women to ski full gas from the first gate to the last.

Between the elite skiers, the course set, the slope profile, and the course length, ski racing fans experienced wonderful entertainment.

Hopefully, tomorrow they will be able to race from the upper start, but no matter what, fans are anticipating a compelling race. Thanks to a lot of expert effort, the hill, while not perfect, offered an opportunity for the higher bibs. Tomorrow should be even better.

North American entries

North American teams have eight women entered. The Stifel US Alpine Team has five on the start list and Alpine Canada Alpin has three. Canada’s Marie-Michele Gagnon is the best-ranked North American super-G racer in St. Anton and is currently 23rd for the season. But US skier Breezy Johnson and Isabella Wright are close behind Gagnon with a season rank of tie 34th. However, one other North American competing in St. Anton is among the 41 women who have scored super-G points this season. Valerie Grenier joined the group today with 23rd place. Mikaela Shiffrin is currently the best-ranked North American super-G skier but will not compete in St. Anton.

North American Women who have scored in SG this season

North Americans entered to race in the January 15th St-Anton super-G

Bib 24, Marie-Michele Gagnon, ACA, Mont Original Ski Club, HEAD
Bib 27, Breezy Johnson, USST, Rowmark Ski Academy, Atomic
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 45, Trish Mangan, independent, HoliMont Snowsports, Dartmouth College, HEAD, SWIX, ASP
Bib 47, Stefanie Fleckenstein, Independent, Whistler Mountain Ski Club, University of Colorado, Rossignol, LOOK
Bib 48, Lauren Macuga, USST, Park City Ski Team, Winter Sports School, Rossignol, LOOK,

The super-G will begin at 5:15 am Eastern Time and at 2:15 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