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Headline RSS FeedWWLVD? That's a good question as White Circus rides into town in Bulgaria
February 27, 2009 —
The next time you're in a tough situation and feel like giving up, just ask yourself WWLVD? If your answer is put on a skin-tight speed suit and hurtle down an icy pitch at 80 mph, then you're ready for work today. Have some extra OJ this morning, you earned it. It's time for a downhill - in Bulgaria!
Bansko, Bulgaria - women's downhill
Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) now has the title of most successful female ski racer in American history (19 career World Cup wins, two World Championship golds), but she isn't even close to hanging it on the wall.
Next on LV's agenda is securing her second downhill consecutive downhill title. She's been on the podium in every downhill this season (including wins in Lake Louise and the World Champs) and leads the standings by 58 points. With two DH's set for Bansko starting today, the mathletes of the world will tell you it could happen this weekend.
About a quarter century ago, Borovets hosted some men's World Cup technical races, but this is the first go-round for speed in Bulgaria and Bansko is a pretty cool place to do it. The town is totally medieval with 100-year-old cobbled streets and houses that look like old stone monasteries, small shuttered windows and all.
The first lifts were built several decades ago, but in 2000 a Bulgarian investment company bought the resort and began pumping in some major $$. A few luxury hotels later and bam - you get a World Cup.
A new 2.5-mile gondola transports skiers directly from town to the base of the resort. Women's head coach Jim Tracy calls it the longest ride to work he's ever taken. From the top of the gondola, the DH start is another two lifts higher. For these guys, that's quite a commute - take that ride to work, L.A. Wanna go on vacation there? This family had a nice day: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4IyPqn6i0AA.
While clear skies have soaked the course for both training days, it's not a sunshine and lollipops hill. It's turny, icy, bumpy and as Vonn says, "You're really tired at the end."
That's saying a lot from the girl who's fitness routine makes me cry just thinking about it. She did take a spill in training on Thursday banging her back a bit while sliding out of the course, but she's wearing a brand new Spyder color today. WWLVD?
Tracy called this hill a "puzzle" that all the athletes are going to have to figure out. Julia Mancuso (Olympic Valley, CA) is starting to get it. She was DQ'd from the first training run, but 16th yesterday with some of the best skiing from the field.
With all the turns, it's not going to look pretty. But then again, you don't need to make this hill look good to be fast.
Stacey Cook (Mammoth, CA), Chelsea Marshall (Pittsfield, VT) Kaylin Richardson (Edina, MN) and Keely Kelleher (Big Sky, MT) are all clicking in too - are you? Check out the action all weekend on www.UniversalSports.com.
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Lasse Schleper a big hit in the U.S. Ski Team hotel, but mom Sarah just misses second GS run
February 12, 2009 —
We're into the tech events in Val d'Isere, which is a good thing, because it's been snowing pretty solid and there would be no chance to race speed.
The tech crew (both men and women) rolled into town on Monday and added a whole different vibe to the team hotel. Like their skiing, they're bouncy.
Lasse Schleper (the World) toddled around the hotel lobby Wednesday night in bright red Moon Boots. He's a hash over one and the boots go above his thighs, but that doesn't slow him down.
He makes car noises and the little girls who live in the hotel with their family love him. Resi Steigler (Jackson, WY) was teaching him how to walk gates using chairs and momma Sarah Schleper's (Vail, CO) Leki poles. He's fun to have around.
[Check out RealVail.com's feature on Sarah Schleper's comeback.]
Schleper, Megan McJames (Park City, UT) and Julia Mancuso (Olympic Valley, CA) were training Wednesday on the top of the women's speed course. The wind was ripping, but the snow was hard.
[In Thursday's GS, Mancuso was 18th, Schleper just missed qualifying for the second run in 31st position on the first run, and McJames was a DNF in the first run. Vail's Lindsey Vonn sat out with a thumb injury, spending the day testing out braces for her right hand. She's questionable for Saturday's slalom.]
Alejandra de la Lama — February 12, 2009
LASSE'S LAST NAME IS GAXIOLA, NOT SCHLEPER. HE WOULD BE LASSE GAXIOLA SCHLEPER
The inside scoop on Lindsey Vonn's champagne-bottle injury after winning downhill championship
February 11, 2009 —
I was just about to dive into a bowl of pasta here in Val d'Isere, France, Tuesday night when my phone buzzed with this text:
"PRESS INFO - Please don't walk or park outside the CHO/Media Center between 8 and 8:30 p.m. due to avalanche blasting."
It's almost needless to say, but today's Nations Team Event at the FIS World Alpine Ski Championships has been canceled and will not be re-scheduled.
It has stopped snowing as of my second cup of coffee this morning (Wednesday), but the wind is still whistling through the hotel windows. The army of volunteers should be out in full force to get the course buffed up for the remaining four medal events - lucky for them, they only need to prepare one hill. All remaining events are scheduled for the Bellevarde face.
On the World Champion front, Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) did have a minor surgical procedure Tuesday in Innsbruck to repair a torn tendon in her right thumb, but she'll be back in Val d'Isere today [she cut her thumb on a champagne bottle while celebrating her downhill championship Monday].
I was with her when it happened and it couldn't have been more accidental. But the part that is missing from the story happened after she cut her thumb. We rolled back to the team hotel as quick as possible, had the wound stitched by team doc Jeff Harrison and about a half hour after the final stitch toasted Lindsey as World Champion for the second time.
She didn't have to do that. Actually, I was ready to cancel the toast, but Lindsey wanted to share at least one glass of champagne with her teammates, coaches and other U.S. Ski Team friends. She took a sip, stood up and thanked the stuffed room of people, then walked upstairs directly into a teleconference call sponsored by the USOC.
Throughout the half-hour call, Lindsey (with a throbbing stitched thumb) graciously answered questions from media across the U.S. She smiled through her voice and helped over a dozen journalists pen brilliant stories helping America to celebrate her stunning downhill victory. To me, that grace is the true definition of a world champion.
The call ended and Lindsey walked out of the small room she was sitting in for the call. She smiled and gave me a hug of thanks, then went to eat dinner (she hadn't eaten since lunch).
It was 9:30 at night. On the table, next to where she was sitting for the call was a glass of champagne. It was shy one sip.
Onward.
Hahnenkamm weekend: the scariest downhill in the world (sorry, Birds of Prey)
January 21, 2009 —
Welcome to Hahnenkamm weekend in Kitzbuehel, Austria. No other series of races is more storied, more terrifying and more exhilarating than Kitzbuehel - and the U.S. has four rookies in the gate!
Buckle up!
The 69th Hahnenkamm-Rennen, Kitzbuehel, Austria - men's super G
"Okey dokey Dr. Jones, hold on to your potatoes." - Short Round, Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom
- TJ Lanning (Park City, UT) said something similar in his course report during Thursday's training, but he didn't say potatoes. Check out audio of Lanning, Andrew Weibrecht (Lake Placid, NY), Erik Fisher (Middleton, ID) and Kevin Francis (Bend, OR) as they talk about their first trip down the infamous Streif at http://media.ussa.org/media-library/2008-09/Alpine/Kitzbuehel/audio/.
- Eric Willemsen of the Associated Press also sat down with these guys on Wednesday, I'd say he captured their thoughts pretty vividly. Check it here: http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2009/01/22/sports/SKI-Streifs-Risks.php
- The Marco Sullivan Fan Club is in town, complete with the now famous green "Marco Rocks" hats, don't even bother to check ebay, you won't find them - these suckers are priceless. "Sully" (Squaw Valley, CA) ripped both downhill training runs and has been really fast in super G this season scoring the best results of his career. He drew bib No. 4 for today's start. Marco gets up early.
- Bode Miller (Franconia, NH) crushed the field to win the final training run seemly shedding all doubts that his sore ankle will slow him in Kitzbuehel. Miller has this hill on autopilot and would like nothing more than to silence critics with his first win this season. Then of course, his name is already on a gondola at Kitz for a 2004 combined victory. Maybe all Bode really wants is another trip through the secret tunnel that leads athletes to the podium (bypassing 60,000 fans). Sorry Short Round - you can't come.
- A podium at Kitzbuehel is an honor, permanently etching racers into ski racing lore, but a win is legend. Just ask U.S. Ski Team veteran Daron Rahlves who won the 2003 Hahnenkamm downhill and the super G a year later. His name now adorns gondola cabin number 91 on the Hahnenkammbahn that brings racers to the race start. On the first training day, Fisher rode up in Austrian great Michael Walchhofer's gondola, go along for the ride with "Fish" here.
- Game on! Miller, Sullivan, Weibrecht, Fisher, Francis, Lanning, Ted Ligety (Park City, UT) and Bryon Friedman (also Park City) are in the gate today. Tune in, SG action is LIVE on www.UniversalSports.com at 3:30 a.m. MT.
Oh yeah, my photo gallery from Kitz is here. Feel free to use these shots in your stories, blogs, refrigerator magnets, etc.
Cortina, Italy - women's DH training, boo
- Just a quick update here. Ma Nature got the best of what was supposed to be a week of speed on one of the greatest women's downhill courses. Over two feet of snow, then fog put the kibosh on the two scheduled training days forcing organizers to cancel one downhill (the Lake Louise makeup) completely.
- World Cup overall and downhill leader Lindsey Vonn (Vail, CO) spent her time catching up with Law and Order and Andrew Dampf of the AP, read that one here.
- The plan now is for DH training today, downhill Saturday and the originally scheduled giant slalom on Sunday. There is also a possibility that they'll run a super G on Monday, but I'll know more about that later today.
- In other logistical news, Bansko, Bulgaria picked up the St. Moritz downhill. It will be the first time for World Cup racing in Bulgaria.
Prost!
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