ALPINE:

Pini in, Ansermoz out as Swiss women’s coach

March 16, 2010 — The Canadian Press   

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BERN, Switzerland — Switzerland's ski federation has fired Hugues Ansermoz as head coach of its women's alpine team because of poor results in slalom and giant slalom races.

Swiss Ski said Tuesday that Mauro Pini will replace Ansermoz after one season working with the men's speed team.

Pini helped guide Didier Defago to the Olympic gold medal in downhill and Didier Cuche to win the season-long World Cup downhill title.

The move reunites Pini with 18-year-old Lara Gut, who missed the entire Olympic season after dislocating her right hip in a training crash.

Pini was Gut's personal coach when she won silver in downhill and super-combined at the 2009 World Championships.

The Swiss women won two World Cup races this season, both in super-G.  SRC