Sunny start for Audi FIS Alpine World Cup in Solden
The Audi FIS Alpine Ski World Cup season got off to a sunny start in Solden (AUT) last weekend. The glacier venue hosted the season opening for the 11th time in 12 years.
On Saturday, the ladies kicked off the competitive action in a giant slalom race. Austrian Kathrin Zettel made an impressive comeback after the injury-plagued last season and summer as she overtook first run leader Tanja Poutiainen of Finland by 98 hundredths of a second. Austrian Andrea Fischbacher, until now known mainly as a super-G skier, took her first giant slalom podium, while the defending World Cup giant slalom champion, Italian Denise Karbon, finished fourth.
On Sunday, the Swiss controlled the opening men's race of the 2008/2009 World Cup season with Daniel Albrecht catching his third career win and Didier Cuche taking second, with a full second or more of a margin over all others. Beginning the defense of his GS title, Ted Ligety (USA) skied into third while Thomas Fanara of France made an impressive comeback from injury-related absence. The much anticipated return of Norway's Aksel Lund Svindal from last year's injury was perhaps a bit disappointing as he finished 13th. Clear and sunny conditions, with temperatures just above freezing, welcomed an estimated 15,000 fans at the Rettenbach glacier on Sunday.
The season will continue with two slalom races up in Finnish Lapland at Levi on 15th-16th November 2008.
Back
|
CROSS-COUNTRY
SKI JUMPING
NORDIC COMBINED
ALPINE SKIING
FREESTYLE SKIING
SNOWBOARD
SPEED SKIING
GRASS SKIING
TELEMARK
MASTERS
CALENDAR
RESULTS
STATISTICS
LIVE TIMING
FIS HISTORY
