The first of two planned training sessions for the downhill World Cup for ski racers on Saturday in Crans-Montana has been cancelled. Nice weather and warm temperatures as well as recent rain have affected the slope, the conditions on the sunny slope were too soft on Thursday. The organizers are hoping for a clear night so that training on Friday can take place as planned. The Super-G is scheduled for Sunday (starting at 11 a.m./live ORF Sport +).
“The cancellation was reasonable, we definitely have good training ahead of us tomorrow,” said Nina Ortlieb. The Vice World Champion in the downhill received many congratulations after winning the medal in Meribel. You used the time to realize that and then started training again. She has good and bad memories of Crans-Montana. “My first World Cup podium was here (2020/note). It’s a track that suits me and that I like.”
Cornelia Hütter, who took bronze in Super-G at the World Championships, missed out on big celebrations. “I don’t have the energy to say I’m celebrating full throttle now,” said the Styrian. “A few passages were good, but a few wouldn’t have gone, that’s when it really broke out.” The slope is treated with salt, the snow is sometimes very wet due to the rain. In training on Friday, she will take out “the little or big brother of racing skis” as a precautionary measure because of the brown spots on the slope.
The Styrian had a bad fall on February 27 last year in the World Cup downhill in Crans-Montana, suffered a concussion and sometimes still struggles with aftermath. “It’s important that I face it. And I know this year I’ve matured technically and developed mentally. Attack is the best defense, I’ll show that.” She doesn’t remember much about that day and the snow has melted three times since then, it’s not his fault. It was a technical mistake that she will save herself this year.