LAKE LOUISE, Canada (Dec. 3, 2016) – The American ladies stacked three in the top 15 on the second day of downhill in Lake Louise, led by Laurenne Ross (Bend, OR) in seventh place. Friday’s top American Stacey Cook (Mammoth Lakes, CA) was 11th and Mikaela Shiffrin (Eagle-Vail, CO), in only her second Audi FIS Ski World Cup downhill, was 13th.
Ilka Stuhec of Slovenia wore a red bib marking her as the World Cup leader in downhill after a surprise win on Friday, and showed that the win wasn’t a fluke. She skied to victory again, ahead of Switzerland’s Lara Gut in second and Edit Miklos of Hungary in third.
Ross was happy with her result, pointing out the conditions that hindered racers starting behind her. “There was a lot of sun at the very beginning of the race and I think for every person, the sun was less and less,” said Ross. “But that’s ski racing. I got lucky… I’m happy with the result.”
Mikaela Shiffrin took 13th in her second World Cup downhill. (Getty Images/Agence Zoom-Christophe Pallot)
While Shiffrin still plans to focus on giant slalom and slalom, she was excited to count two solid downhill results under her belt with an 18th place finish in Friday’s race. “I’m sure I’ll do another (downhill) this year,” said Shiffrin. “I love it, so I’ll for sure be back on the downhill circuit, but I have to keep sight of my real goals this season.”
After a great result in Friday’s race, Breezy Johnson (Jackson, WY) again skied into the points, taking 21st. Alice McKennis (New Castle, CO) and Jackie Wiles (Aurora, OR) also grabbed points, snagging 26th and 30th respectively. Leanne Smith (North Conway, NH) was 34th and Anna Marno (Steamboat Springs, CO) did not finish.
A super G on Sunday will wrap up the Lake Louise speed series before the women head over to Europe.
HIGHLIGHTS
- Laurenne Ross was the top American, finishing seventh.
- Stacey Cook was 11th. Mikaela Shiffrin was 13th in only her second World Cup downhill.
- Next up, the women race a super G at Lake Louise to wrap up the speed series.
QUOTES
Laurenne Ross
It’s a bit of a crazy day today. There was a lot of sun at the very beginning of the race and I think for every person, the sun was less and less. But that’s ski racing. I got lucky, I started fifth. I actually came down in fifth, but only two people behind me beat me. It’s just one of those kind of weird days, but I’m happy with the result.
Mikaela Shiffrin
I was so excited for today! Yesterday, I executed everything on the course, but I wasn’t building speed. My only goal for today was to basically do the same exact thing, but try to get some flow going. I felt like I did that. I’m so excited because I’m like, that’s what it’s supposed to feel like! That’s cool!
I don’t know how many more downhills I’ll do this year. But just doing it at all and feeling that speed is an amazing experience for me. I’ll just try to lock that feeling away in my journal and see what happens the next time I do a downhill. I’m sure I’ll do another one this year, and just trying to keep that feeling and what the flow is supposed to feel like. I love it, so I’ll for sure be back on the downhill circuit, but I have to keep sight of my real goals this season. After the super G tomorrow, I have to get back into some training of slalom and GS and we go right into Sestriere. It’s sort of a tough schedule. We’ll have to hit the plane tomorrow and refocus.
RESULTS
Women’s downhill
BROADCAST AND LIVE STREAMING (times EST)
Saturday, Dec. 3
8:00 p.m. – Women’s DH, Lake Louise – NBCSN
Sunday, Dec. 4
1:00 p.m. – Women’s SG, Lake Louise – NBCsports.com – LIVE STREAM
6:00 p.m. – Women’s SG, Lake Louise – Universal HD