Ganong Top American at Val Gardena SG

VAL GARDENA, Italy (Dec. 16, 2016) – Once Travis Ganong (Squaw Valley, CA) got up to speed, he laid down a solid run to lead to U.S. men in Friday’s Audi FIS Ski World Cup super G.

“The skiing was really good once I got into it,” said Ganong, who finished the day in 18th. “But the start is kind of what got me.”

Norway’s Kjetil Jansrud, who has been on fire so far this season in speed events, won his second super G race of the season over countryman Aleksander Aamodt Kilde. Canada’s Erik Guay rounded out the podium in third – his 24^th World Cup podium finish.

Other American finishers included Steve Nyman (Sundance, UT) in 25^th; Brennan Rubie (Salt Lake City, UT) just missed World Cup points in 31^st; Tommy Biesemeyer (Keene, NY) 42^nd; Jared Goldberg (Holladay, UT) 47^th; Bryce Bennett (Squaw Valley, CA) 48^th; Ryan Cochran-Siegle (Starksboro, VT) 51^st; and Andrew Weibrecht (Lake Placid, NY) 53^rd.

Up next, the men tackle the famed Saslong downhill track Saturday with Nyman going for the podium. Live streaming will be available on NBCsports.com/live.

HIGHLIGHTS

• Travis Ganong was the top U.S. finisher in 18^th
• Norway’s Kjetil Jansrud won his 17^th World Cup race Friday
• Jansrud leads the overall World Cup super G standing with 200 points
• Road to Aspen: Austria’s Marcel Hirscher, who did not compete Friday, leads the overall World Cup standings by 140 points over Jansrud
• Jansrud has won all three speed events contested so far this season – one downhill and two super G

QUOTES
Travis Ganong
The first split I didn’t push hard enough. I was like nine-tenths down, but then I made back sixth-tenths. The skiing was really good once I got into it. But the start is kind of what got me.

[On Saturday’s downhill]
I'll just build off today--focus on a really good start and just let the rest go. My skiing is in a really good spot - it’s really close, just missing one little thing. Out of the start tomorrow, that’s where I have to really go and focus, then the rest will take care of itself.

BROADCAST AND LIVE STREAMING (times EST)
Fri, Dec. 16
5 p.m. – Val Gardena men’s super G – UniversalHD

Sat, Dec. 17
6 a.m. – Val Gardena men’s downhill – nbcsports.com – LIVE STREAM
5:30 p.m. – Val Gardena men’s downhill – UniversalHD

Sun, Dec. 18
3:30 a.m. – Alta Badia men’s giant slalom – run 1 – nbcsports.com – LIVE STREAM
6:30 a.m. – Alta Badia men’s giant slalom – run 2 – nbcsports.com – LIVE STREAM

Live streaming available on NBCsports.com/Live and the NBC Sports app, which is available on the iTunes App Store, Google Play, Windows Store, Roku Channel Store, Apple TV and Amazon Fire.

RESULTS
Men’s super G