WC in downhill skiing 2023
Slalom – men, 1.+2. wheel:
COURCHEVEL/MÉRIBEL. Henrik Kristoffersen won gold in the slalom at the 2023 World Downhill Skiing Championships, marking a significant shift. In the first round, he was in 16th place.
Kristoffersen finished two-tenths ahead of AJ Ginnis, who secured Greece’s first medal in a Winter Olympic sport at the top event. The Italian Alex Vinatzer (+ 0.38 s) won the bronze.
Kristoffersen won his third valuable metal at the World Championships, triumphed in the giant slalom at Are 2019 and won bronze in the slalom two years ago in Cortina.
He thus expanded his collection of achievements, which also includes three small globes for slalom, one for “obrák” and two Olympic medals (silver in Pyeongchang 2018 in giant slalom and bronze in Sochi 2014 in slalom).
VIDEO: Henrik Kristoffersen and his golden ride in slalom
Kristoffersen: I didn’t expect it to be enough
“When I got into the lead on lap 2, I didn’t think it would be enough to win. I felt like I made too many mistakes at the top, but after getting over the initial steepness I put in a clean ride.
It was not the first time that I made such a comeback, also in Kitzbühel 2016 I lost a second after the first lap and finally won. Thanks for the course built in this way, a lot could be gained from it.
I knew anything was possible with him. After 23 podium positions in the World Cup in slalom, I managed to win my first gold in the World Cup – I think today was the right day for me,” the 28-year-old Norwegian told ORF.
Guinness: I can’t believe it
Guinness made history. The twenty-eight-year-old native of Athens moved to Austria at the age of twelve, where his father worked as a ski instructor, in the past he represented the USA, where his wife is from.
After unsuccessful results, he decided to ride for his native country. On Sunday, thanks to him, Greece won the premier medal not only at the Alpine World Championships, but also the first in history at the championships in all winter Olympic sports.
“I can’t believe it. I have no idea what actually happened. During the ride in the 2nd lap I had the feeling that it wouldn’t be enough, I tried to fight with all my might. The first medal for Greece – in short, it’s a dream come true.
I’m happy that I’m so stupid and that I don’t even realize what I’ve actually accomplished,” Ginnis was happy.
The Austrians did not win gold in Courchevel/Meribel, they only take home three silver and four bronze from the 2023 WC.
Their hot iron in the fire, Manuel Feller, led after the 1st round of the slalom, but after an unsuccessful second run, he fell to seventh place, just behind compatriot Marc Schwarz.
“We won seven medals at the championship, but the gold one is missing from our collection – and that hurts a lot,” declared the head of the alpine section of the Austrian Ski Association, Herbert Mandl.
Interim leader Feller crashed
The second round was even more closed in the steeper parts than the first, the competitors again struggled mainly in the initial, deviated slope.
One of the favorites, Kristoffersen, trying to make up for the unsuccessful first run, attacked from 16th position, after hesitations in the upper part, he found the right pace in the middle passage, showed an excellent finish and took a clear lead.
He was not surpassed by local Clement Noel, the Italian Vinatzer and even the defending compatriot Foss-Solevaag, who fell to 19th place after major complications.
Then Strasser didn’t take advantage of the fact that the track was being built by his trainer for the 2nd lap and dropped significantly, as did Braathen, who paid for a huge mistake on the flat passage.
Ginnis fought at the top with the gates closed, but at the bottom, supported by the audience, he pushed himself to the maximum performance and placed two tenths of a second behind Kristoffersen.
The latter could finally celebrate the triumph, because Feller went up carefully, he had problems even on the middle slope and fell to seventh place, where he finished together with Braathen.
