Swiss Gold as Alpine closes its Games
The Alpine events closed with a Gold for Switzerland, Silver for Belgium (yes you read that correct) and bronze for Austria. While the Swiss, Austrians and French have dominated the racing, the quality of the Junior 1 racers has been hugely impressive and you will see many of the racers in greater events in the future. Despite the heavy snow that fell overnight and the kept falling through the race, conditions for the race were not that bad.
Sandro Simonet won the Slalom with great ease after seeing many of his rival competitors crash out on the first run. With a 1.18 second lead after the first run, Simonet could have taken it easily on the second yet attacked again and although he made a few mistakes he still had the fastest time on the second run to take the Gold.
Dries van der Broecke is a past winner of the Topolino and much was expected of the Belgian who is at school at Stams in Austria. Van der Broecke is a product of the Benni Raich Race School and the young Belgian rode his luck at times down the course. While Simonet was a class act on the slalom skis, van der Broecke is a name to watch out for as well and his silver was well deserved.
The bronze medal gave the Austrian team another medal but this was a medal that was won through determination and a powerful second run when the conditions were at their worst. Mathias Graf, brother of rising world cup star Bernhard, fought tooth and nail to get a result and was rewarded with the second fastest time on the second run that lifted him up to third overall.
The first run saw a lot of high profile racers crash out in the flat light – five of the top fifteen failed to see the second run and a further three of the top fifteen seeds failed to finish the second run as the snow got heavier. There was only so much the course crew could do in keeping the course clear yet the work they did was a credit.
Paul Henderson was going great guns at the top of the course and while the conditions were not great, the flat light was throwing the diminutive racer from Edinburgh around a little, Henderson was riding the course well. Mistakes were there but more importantly the speed was being kept. As is becoming often with Henderson in the vicinity of the finish, he got thrown around once to often and his weight went back and he crashed out on his inside ski. There are times when experience tells you to hold back a little to ensure you get down. Henderson is a racer who to his credit gives his all on every single run and his 17th in the Super G was the best result he had during the Games.
With many of the later numbers getting into the top thirty flip for the second run, opportunities of great placings were there. The Olympics, even the Youth Olympics, are about placings and this would have been a fine opportunity for the young British racer to post a top ten result.
So the Swiss take Gold, Belgium the silver and the bronze to Austria. The Alpine events are now done at the 2012 Youth Olympics. Those racers that are aged 11 and 12 these Games could be you in four years time in Lillehammer, Norway! With the Cultural and Educational Programme proving to be a big hit with the athletes, the point that these Games are not all about winning was very true.
