The waiting is over. This weekend, the speed aces finally test-stretch their muscles and test how well they trained over the long summer break. Some of them had already tested their material in the first races in Sölden. At the same time, some waited and adjusted their season preparation to the later start. In the American Beaver Creek, both downhill and super-G events occur, so all-rounders like Loic Meillard might have something to say about the results.
The speed season had been a little overshadowed by the airbag controversies, but let us put the discussion about armor and suits aside and focus on the knights that will go down the treacherous Beasts of Prey.
Birds of Prey Beckons: High-Stakes Thrills and Weather Drama at Beaver Creek
Beaver Creek, Colorado, is a luxury men’s alpine skiing venue. The challenging Birds of Prey course is famous for its demanding terrain, steep pitches, sharp turns, and high-speed sections. It is both technical and fast and also features the renowned American snow, which has different qualities. However, most of the speed skiers have been with their technicians in North America training for almost a month, so they should be perfectly acclimatized to the conditions by now.
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The Birds of Prey course is acclaimed for its technical complexity, including sections like “The Brink,” a steep drop that leads into a series of turns, and “The Talon,” a demanding segment requiring precise control. And let us not forget the “Golden Eagle Jump,” a fearsome (and photogenic) section. The skiers approach this jump at more than 120 km per hour, making it a real leap of faith.
No snow is expected to fall before the race day, but snowing should start on Monday. Let us hope the forecast won’t change and shift the snowing to the weekend, which would complicate the start of the speed season. The terrain will be very icy, as the temperatures during the day will rise right above zero over the weekend, with sunshine melting the surface on the course. At night, temperatures as low as -16° are prospected. The race is set to be one of the fastest.
The Real Mystery: Who Will Carry the Golden Eagle Home?
This is the start of the season for speed skiers. We have not seen most of them in action since last season, so these are wild guesses. Indeed, Marco Odermatt (SUI) loves Beaver Creek; he was second here in 2022 (last WC downhill in Beaver Creek), and only Alexander Aamodt Kilde (NOR) came before him. And Kilde is injured. Knowing Odermatt’s mental strength, he will surely have already forgotten his unlucky DNF in the opening giant slalom in Sölden. So, Odermatt counts amongst the favorites for both super-G and downhill. Furthermore, the Swiss superstar said he had real fun during the training; he loved the jumps and perfect snow conditions.
Miha Hrobat (SLO) won the first training session. Although training sessions tell close to nothing about the race winners, the Slovenian had no trouble with the deadly speed on the icy track. Also, Cyprien Sarazzin (FRE) showed strength, which is a good sign, as the downhill star is returning from the injury.
So, who are the other candidates for the podium? Let us remember the Canadian James Crawford, who came third last year here and whose form had been steadily climbing up. Or the Swiss youngster Alexis Monney or the rest of the vast menu of Swiss skiers. Then, of course, the Austrian, Vincent Kriechmayr, said that his preparation over the summer was good; however, we have not heard much about the form of the Austrian speed skiers apart from their complaints about the airbags. Then there is one of the last Vikings, Adrian Smiseth Sejersed (NOR), who came fourth in the training.
But Beaver Creek also hosts giant slalom, a widely criticized step because not all the technical skiers are willing to travel oversee for one race only and be ready in French Val d’Isere only six days later. Some of them, including Manuel Feller (who needs to look for his piece of mind rather than fighting against jetlag), chose to remain in Europe and come strong in Val d’Isere.
The giant slalom in Beaver Creek will be fast and suit the brave. Ultimately, let us see who will be the most daring of them all in the upcoming three races.
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