This weekend, both women and men head to the North, which is a good thing as the temperatures are rising and spring skiing is on the horizon. Men will indulge in speed action with two downhill races and one super-G in Kvitfjell, and women will measure their technical skills in Swedish Are.
Are, Sweden
This is the last technical competition before the World Cup finals, so women have much to compete for. Are hosted the first World alpine skiing event in 1954, with the World Championships taking place here. The first women’s World Cup event was held here in 1971.
In 2013, Mikaela Shiffrin won her 86th and 87th World Cup races here, making her the greatest skier ever. So, she will have fond memories of this venue, and with all the pressure off her chest, we can count on her to show her best in the Sunday slalom.
- Related post: 5 Lessons We Can Take from the Greatest Skier of All Times: Mikaela Shiffrin From Another Perspective
But there are other racers among the favorites, and the battle for the slalom crystal globe has not been decided yet. Zrinka Ljutic (CRO) and Camille Rast (SWE) have the best chances for the crystal globe. Wendy Holdener (SUI) is also in an excellent slalom form.
The battle for the giant slalom champion is open as well. Alice Robinson (NEZ) leads the standings with a 40-point lead over Federica Brignone (ITA). Sara Hector (SWE) is also high in the rankings and will be racing home.
Kvitfjell, Norway
In Kvitfjell, Friday downhill replaces the canceled race in Garmisch-Partenkirchen. So, there will be two downhills and a super-G on Sunday. In super-G, Marco Odermatt seems to be unbeatable. Of course, there are challengers to the Swiss, like the Austrians Vincent Kriechmayr, Stefan Babinsky, and Raphael Haaser. Stefan Rogentin (SUI) is also in excellent form, and let us not forget this year’s miracle, Franjo Von Allmen (SUI). Fredrik Moeller (NOR) has not been that good lately; he has not continued his winning streak since the December sensation. But he will be racing home, and that sure counts.
None of these guys, however, can hope to steal the super-G crystal globe from Marco Odermatt. The only one with at least a theoretical chance is the Italian Mattia Casse. However, Casse had a severe crash during the training, and we are still waiting for an update on his health.
These are the last speed races for men before the World Cup finals, which will take place in Sun Valley, USA. There has been one training session, with the second coming on Thursday. Stefan Babinski has won the first training session, with Adrian Smiseth Sejersted (NOR) finishing second. Sejersted is having a great season closing, and we can expect him to do everything he can to please the home crowd.
For the downhill, the Swiss gang are the favorites: Alexis Monney, Franjo Von Allmen, and Marco Odermatt. They will also battle for the small crystal globe, so it will be interesting to see if they will stop smiling and cheering on each other for at least a second. Apart from the two best Swiss, Von Allmen and Odermatt, nobody else has a chance to win the downhill Crystal Globe. However, Miha Hrobat (SLO), James Crawford (CAN), and Alexander Cameron (CAN) have a chance of achieving a solid result. In Crans Montana, the Swiss have dominated the podium, with only the Austrian Vincent Kriechmayr and the Italian Florian Schieder coming close enough.
So, let us enjoy the Scandinavian races and try not to worry too much about the points and globes. Sometimes, the calculations take too much energy and draw joy from the spectacle.
