Britain's Chemmy Alcott maintained her unprecedented run
24th January 2004Britain's Chemmy Alcott maintained her unprecedented run of form today as she scored another career best result when she skied to 16th place in the Audi FIS Ski World Cup Women's Giant Slalom in Maribor, Slovenia. Alcott, who last Sunday scored Britain's best women's World Cup downhill result since 1972 when she finished 9th, made a big mistake in her second
run but still managed to finish only 3.08 seconds behind Sweden's winner Anja Paerson over the two giant slalom runs.
" Once again I am a bit surprised because it is a relatively gentle slope and I usually do better when it is steep, but it's cool. I am delighted especially because I made the mistake and nearly got flicked out of the course, skied the next two gates on one ski and still managed to make the
result, so I am left looking forward to what I can do when I make two really clean runs." Reports Chemmy (21, Twickenham).
" I have always known that I can do it in GS but it is very different. There is much more pressure in the technical events after you have made a decent first run and you have to psyche yourself up for the second, knowing you can make places or lose places."
Alcott lay 21st after her first run 1.73 seconds behind Austria's midway leader Michaela Dorfmeister. Dorfmeister could not match Paerson's second run attack and dropped to second, 0.98 of a second adrift.
Two days of excellent GS training at the British Land Alpine Ski Team's shared training slope at Hinterreit, near the BOA base at Lofer, Salzburgerland, where she tested new skis made for her by Fischer, proved very successful and Alcott remarks that the new skis made a significant
difference.
At Kitzbuhel's annual Hahnenkamm Downhill, leading British downhiller Finlay Mickel skied to a very respectable 36th place on only his second ever attempt at the infamous Streif downhill course. Mickel made big technical improvements since his Kitzbuhel debut last year when the start was dropped lower to avoid the worst of the poor visbility.
" It really is such a big step up from the other downhills that you really have to pump yourself up so much more. I felt I skied well in bits but made a big mistake and hit a 'racing snowplough' as I recovered, but this is a learning experience for me at this stage."
Austria's Stephan Eberharter proved he is the master of the Streif as he snatched his second successive win from the US Ski Team's Daron Rahlves who ended his Kitzbuhel campaign with a first in Super G and a second and third from the two downhills here.
Britain's Alain and Noel Baxter race tomorrow in the Slalom here.
RESULTS
Women's FIS Audi World Cup Giant Slalom, Maribor, 24/01/04
1
PAERSON Anja
SWE
1:08.07
1:10.20
2:18.27
2
DORFMEISTER Michaela
AUT
1:07.90
1:11.35
2:19.25
3
RIENDA CONTRERAS Maria Jose
SPA
1:08.30
1:11.20
2:19.50
4
RIESCH Maria
GER
1:09.50
1:10.21
2:19.71
5
OTTOSSON Anna
SWE
1:08.57
1:11.79
2:20.36
6
FORSYTH Allison
CAN
1:09.89
1:10.65
2:20.54
16
ALCOTT Chimene
GBR
1:09.63
1:11.72
2:21.35
Men's FIS Audi World Cup Downhill, Kitzbühel, 24/1/04
1
EBERHARTER Stephan
AUT
1:55.48
2
RAHLVES Daron
USA
1:56.69
3
HOFFMANN Ambrosi
SUI
1:56.78
4
KNAUSS Hans
AUT
1:57.23
5
WALCHHOFER Michael
AUT
1:57.26
6
GHEDINA Kristian
ITA
1:57.27
36
MICKEL Finlay
GBR
2:00.38