YUZAWA NAEBA, Japan (Feb. 14, 2016) – Things didn’t go according to plan for the U.S. men’s tech team on another warm and wet day at the Audi FIS Ski World Cup slalom Sunday.
“Not the plan (today),” said David Chodounsky (Crested Butte, CO) of his first run mistake, which eliminate any hope of a second run. “I was skiing well up top, and that was the plan. I wanted to charge...I just went a little too straight over that one roll…and my ski kind of slid out on the rut on the gate.”
Unfortunately, not one U.S. athlete qualified for a second run as Germany’s Felix Neureuther scored his first victory of the season by a scant 0.05 seconds over Sweden’s Andre Myhrer. Austria’s Marco Schwarz rounded out the podium in third.
Things didn’t exactly go according to plan for overall World Cup leader Marcel Hirscher of Austria either, as he straddled four gates into his first run. However, he still leads the overall standings by 88 points over Norway’s Henrik Kristoffersen, who finished a disappointing seventh. Kristoffersen, who leads the overall World Cup slalom standings, has been dominant this season, winning six of eight slalom events.
This weekend marked the first time in 41 years that World Cup racing returned to the slopes of Yuzawa Naeba. Ironically, Neureuther’s father Christian was on the slalom podium 41 years ago – third behind legendary Swede Ingmar Stenmark, and Austria’s Hans Hinterseer.
Up next, the men race downhill and alpine combined in Chamonix, France, Feb. 19-20.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Germany’s Felix Neureuther scored his first victory of the season Sunday.
- Austria’s Marco Schwarz, competing in his second World Cup season, scored his second career podium. He also finished third in Madonna di Campiglio, Italy last season.
- World Cup overall leader Marcel Hirscher of Austria straddled four gates into his first run.
- Norway’s Henrik Kristoffersen, winner of six slalom races this season, tied for seventh.
QUOTES
David Chodounsky
Not the plan today. I was skiing well up top, and that was the plan. I wanted to charge...I just went a little too straight over that one roll…and my ski kind of slid out on the rut on the gate.
Broadcast and Live Streaming (times EST)
Sunday, Feb. 14
12:00 p.m. - Men's slalom, Yuzawa Naeba - Universal HD
RESULTS
Men’s slalom