The South Tyrolean won the second downhill run in Val Gardena on Saturday with a time of 1:59.84 minutes, celebrating his first success since March 5, 2022 in Kvitfjell and his 22nd overall. The Norwegian Aleksander Aamodt Kilde (+0.44 seconds) and the American Bryce Bennett (0.60) came in behind. Marco Schwarz was the best Austrian in ninth place (0.95).
The 28-year-old Carinthian also collected valuable points in the overall World Cup, barely losing any ground to the leading Swiss Marco Odermatt, who finished tied for seventh immediately before. For the remaining ÖSV athletes, the competition was anything but pleasant. Friday Super-G winner Vincent Kriechmayr had to settle for 14th place (1.31), while Daniel Hemetsberger, who was second the day before, came 20th (1.63). In between, Otmar Striedinger was the third best Austrian in 17th place (1.60).
“Today is special”
Paris set the best time with start number twelve and was once once more at the top following a disappointing 2022/23 season. “Last season I was a bit desperate. Today I tried to ski normally, as I can, without overdoing it. I managed everything well. I didn’t think it would work right there,” said the 34th -year-old in an ORF interview. Especially since on Thursday on a shortened course they only managed to finish eleventh and in the Super-G they only managed 55th place.
Bild: (APA/AFP/TIZIANA FABI)
Paris’ 18th World Cup victory in downhill was the first in Val Gardena. Kristian Ghedina last triumphed there as an Italian in 2001. “Today is of course something special, several stones have fallen off my shoulders,” emphasized the fastest driver of the day. Like on Thursday, where he was only 0.03 seconds behind Bennett, Kilde came second following a completely botched Super-G performance outside the points. “Today it worked once more, it was okay,” said the Norwegian. He had a few mistakes in the Ciaslat, but missed out on the win.
Schwarz saw a “significant increase”
Black, on the other hand, hit this important part of the route well and was able to clearly improve on Thursday (40th). “It was a significant improvement, that was very good,” said the ÖSV all-rounder. Of course there is still room for improvement and he can still learn a lot on the descents. “Above all, you need experience.” He described the first speed weekend, in which he also came fifth in the Super-G, as “on the whole quite good”.
Image: (GEPA pictures/Harald Steiner)
“Very two-part” summary from Kriechmayr
Kriechmayr drew a “very two-part” summary. “The Super-G was good, I missed the two downhill runs, that’s bitter.” After the highlight, there was another setback. “I got too wide before the flat at the top, didn’t keep up the pace and wanted a bit too much in the Ciaslat entrance. The pace you lose there adds up. The only consolation is that this time I know where I am “I lost the time,” said the Upper Austrian. It was “simply not enough” for a top ranking.
Bild: (APA/AFP/TIZIANA FABI)
Hemetsberger with a “catastrophic departure day”
Things went even worse for Hemetsberger, he spoke of “another disastrous downhill day” on the Saslong. “I think I ski better than I set times on the downhill,” the 32-year-old seemed a bit perplexed. For many athletes there is no time to take a breather; giant slalom races continue in Alta Badia on Sunday and Monday. “The change to the giant slalom swing is not that big,” said Schwarz.
