ALPINE:

Gruenenfelder, Swiss rule super-G, Osborne-Paradis 15th

Nov. 28, 2010     

♦ Photos: Tobias Gruenenfelder in action (Paul Morrison) and in the race corral after career win No. 1 (Gordie Bowles); Mario Scheiber (PM)

LAKE LOUISE, Alberta — They were kept off the podium on the first weekend of World Cup speed races, but the Canadian men's ski team remains confident the results will come.

READ BOWLES' BLOG ON THE SCIENCE — AND POLITICS — OF SKI SELECTION AND PREPARATION

Manuel Osborne-Paradis was the only Canadian to crack the top-15 in Sunday's first super-G of the year, while Jan Hudec's 11th-place finish in Saturday's downhill was the best Alpine Canada result.

Osborne-Paradis, who won last year's super-G here, blamed "a couple of bobbles" for keeping him out of the top 10 on the weekend.

"It hasn't been the greatest weekend, but it's been a weekend that I'm able to build on," said the Invermere, B.C., resident. "I'm not leaving here disappointed, which is a good thing.

"It's a long season when you get in that frame of mind. It's good for me to be confident in my skiing. If you are top 10 or top 15 every race, and make these little mistakes, eventually you don't make them and you stand on the podium.''

Tobias Gruenenfelder won the first race of his career to lead a one-two Swiss finish in the super-G.

"It's very emotional and I'm very happy," said Gruenenfelder, who turned 33 on Saturday. "It was a long time for me to wait for the first win.

"It's a great feeling."

Gruenenfelder covered the 2.4-kilometre Men's Olympic course in 1 minute, 32.31 seconds. His teammate Carlo Janka finished just .07 behind.

Austria's Romed Baumann was third in 1:32.58.

Bode Miller was the top American, finishing 12th in 1:133.12.

Just .02 of second separated the top three Canadians.

Osborne-Paradis was timed in 1:33.47. Erik Guay of Mont-Tremblant, Que., was 16th in 1:33.48 while Robbie Dixon of North Vancouver, B.C., finished 17th in 1:33.49.

Both Guay — last year's crystal globe winner in super-G — and Dixon, who is still looking for his first World Cup podium, were left shaking their heads after Sunday's race.

"I'm a little disappointed," said Guay. "Skiing, I didn't feel too bad.

"I thought I brought a little more intensity. I guess I will have to go back and watch the video a little bit and see where I lost time."

Dixon, meanwhile, stomped around the finish area like an angry bull.

"I'm speechless right now," he said after cooling off. "I know I am skiing well.

"I came out wanting to win, to get on that podium. Today I felt it was possible. I guess I have to keep trying."

Max Gartner, Alpine Canada's president, said the team has plenty of potential for podium finishes.

"We wish we had delivered a podium performance here," said Gartner. "It's an important race for us early in the season. We want to showcase our team.

"I still believe our guys are in the hunt and able to win. The season is just starting. We have the big races coming up at the World Championships. There are no major concerns on my part.''

Guay said a lack of speed training this summer has left the Canadians chasing the Swiss and Austrians.

Austria's Michael Walchhofer won Saturday's downhill while his teammate Mario Scheiber was tied for second.

Alpine Canada cancelled a summer camp in Chile because of a lack of snow. The team traveled to New Zealand, where training was hindered by rain.

"We didn't get the speed training we wanted," said Guay. "Also, we didn't train with a lot of other nations. Sometimes you get comfortable training (with your team).

"We thought we were in a good position but in reality we weren't where we want to be. That's something to address in the future."

Gartner agreed the team would have benefited from more training.

"We are a little bit behind the eight-ball as far as preparation goes,'' he said. "Maybe they are not 100 percent ready yet to have the ultimate confidence to put it on the line."

Guay said his skiing needs some fine-tuning, not a major overhaul, as the men prepared for races at Beaver Creek, Colo., this weekend.

"I feel solid on my skis," he said. "It's not like I was risking it all or doing anything too crazy.

"I think it's going to be small things, small adjustments. Just getting the confidence up."

Dixon said the steep, technical Birds of Prey course at Beaver Creek better suits his style than Lake Louise.

"That's my track," he said.

"My tactics, my skiing, my intensity, I brought all of that to the table (here). I think I skied smart. I'm happy with that. I'm a little disappointed with the results. I know I can be better."

Hudec, who has battled knee injuries the last several seasons, wasn't able to match his downhill result in the super-G. The Calgary resident finished 33rd in 1:34.33.

Among the other Canadians in the field of 64 who finished the race, Louis-Pierre Helie of Berthierville, Que., was 54th in 1:35.63; Dustin Cook of Ottawa was 56th in 1:35.80; and Benjamin Thomsen of Invermere was 61st in 1:36.74.

Francois Bourque of L'Ange-Gardien, Que., racing his first super-G since suffering a knee injury last year, skied off course early in his run.

German's Andreas Strodl, who started 54, crashed on the course. He tore up his knee and will return home.
The men's World Cup tour now heads to Beaver Creek, Colorado, for three races before returning to Europe.  S-Magazine

— The Canadian Press contributed to this report

Lake Louise men's World Cup super-G results