L a t e s t  n e w s ..... Heel wins Super G in Val Gardena with Defago and Jaerbyn on the podium ... Paerson wins Super combined from Hosp and Suter ... Walchhofer retains King of the Hill in Downhill, Miller 2 and Osborne Paradis 3 ... Gut wins Super G in St Moritz from Suter and Fanchini

'The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams' (Eleanor Roosevelt).

Alcott struggles in the sun

On a course set by the father of Croatian star Janica Kostelic, Chemmy Alcott admitted that she “struggled from the top.” The strong sun and an interesting course that had been set to challenge the leading girls was not kind to the 22 year old from Hove.  While Chemmy struggled to stay in the course, Renate Goetschl followed up her win on Wednesday with her 35^th career win and seventh in Cortina d’Ampezzo.  Just behind her were rising young stars American Lindsey Kildow and Austrian Sylvia Berger.

“I was wrong from the start,” commented a clearly disappointed Alcott.  Last year in Cortina Alcott skied fantastically well and grabbed the headlines as well as a bag load of World Cup points.  21^st in the first Super G was a great result and the talented Alcott had hoped to bag herself more points in the second.  “I was off line all over the place,” she continued.  Her split times were not as good as the previous race where she had been close in to the leading times and she struggled to stay on the line through the middle technical section.  With many of the leading racers also struggling in this section, including Anja Paerson, Alcott saw this as an area where she could attack.  The difference between attack and defence is a thin line and where she could have gained time, she actually lost time: roughly a second between each split.

The mind games that take place in top level sport were very evident when it was announced that Ante Kostelic had set a course “that was designed for Janica not Anja!” Whilst father Kostelic admitted that Janica would not win, he agreed that the course would not help Anja Paerson and thus help his daughter in her quest for the overall title.  As it was Paerson did not finish as she came in too sharp for a gate in the mid section and swung wide for the next gate.  This took her too far off line and out of the course.  No points for Anja and a chance for Janica to pull some back that she had lost on the Wednesday, Kostelic finishing in 10th.

For the smiling Renate Goetschl, she too had kind words for Ante Kostelic.  Three years ago he set her a course that she won on and so the “Queen of Cortina” marched on.  Donating her prize money to the Orphans of the recent Tsunami, Goetschl knew she had skied well “but I felt that this would have been like St Moritz where I skied well but ended up 8^th.” This time though she “was happy to have skied a good race.” This 35^th career win means she has now set her sights on the 36 of one of her idols, Katja Seizinger.

In second was the fast rising star of America: Lindsey Kildow is gathering fans and praise as she challenges the Europeans for supremacy.  Now the Americans are attacking the podiums that the Europeans once thought were theirs! What may concern the Austrians is that Kildow knows she can go quicker: “I made too many mistakes and still was only eight hundredths behind Goetschl,” rued Kildow.  Kildow had looked sad as Goetschl came down and beat her time but was still happy with the end result by adding “Sure I want to win as many races as possible.  Hopefully tomorrow I will not make as many mistakes!”  Interestingly, Kildow, who started out as a technical skier added “doing downhill makes me more interesting as a skier!”

With her third podium in three seasons, diminutive Sylvia Berger, with her infectious smile, was delighted to end her Cortina experience with a podium.  Not having qualified for the Downhill, such in the strength of the Austrian team, Berger will now leave for the Europa Cup Giant Slaloms in Courchevel next week.  “I watched the first racers on the television and knew where they had made mistakes, I then tried not to make the same mistakes,” Berger ventured.

For Alcott the focus now turns to the two Downhills that take place this weekend.  With her career best (9^th) having come here last season, Alcott will be keen to repeat that result.  Having banged her head in the first training run and then skied “OK” in the second, she will start 1 in the first race.  “I made a few big mistakes yesterday so I know I can go well,” said a determined Alcott.  With her sponsors Witan in town at the moment, Alcott is fine about going 1, hopefully the hard conditions that accompany the early start number will mean she can go that little bit quicker and finish Number 1!

1. Renate Goetschl (Aut)     1.13.98

2. Lindsey Kildow (USA)        1.14.06

3. Sylvia Berger (Aut)            1.14.71

38 Chemmy Alcott (GBR)    1.16.63

Cortina Snippets