L a t e s t  n e w s ..... Louise Bain and Callum Henderson win both rounds of Twin Peaks races at Fir Park & Hillend ...

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

Val Gardena: The return to Europe and the start of the Classics!

Val Gardena or Groeden - the place evokes passion and performance and this year it marks the opening of the European Speed events! Kristian Ghedina, a four time winner here was there for the first inspection of the Saslong: Ghedina wanted to get his skis on: "This is my home course, everybody knows it. I've only skied once this year but I am dying to check out the course, starting as a forerunner would suffice! The Camel Bumps are similar to last year and have to be taken with determination and power!

After two days of training, what are the thoughts of the racers themselves?

Last years winner, Steve Nyman, was full of confidence: "There is a new jump at the final schuss and the last turn is narrower and steeper. Fast skis will be the key to a place on the podium - as well as a good entry to Ciaslat. I will try and stick to my line and not loose speed!" Winner of the last downhill in Beaver Creek, Michael Walchhofer, commented after the first training run that "the Camel Bumps had a long reach," before adding that "the jumps were good, particularly over the Camel Bumps. Full attention is required at the new jump which is taken at full speed!" This new jump has made the course easier to ski believes Didier Cuche: "Two bumps requiring the utmost attention have been replaced by turning one into a jump which takes you over the second one!"

Local boy Peter Fill complimented the course team but felt that they "like to place bumps after jumps!" Fill felt that the course was in excellent condition, "the run is not yet too fast but that this will change as the race draws near." Fill attacked the first training run but picked a slow pair of skis, he felt. After Erik Guay had posted a devastatingly fast time in the second training run (see times), many felt that this was the benchmark for the race, Walchhofer commented that "he must have done well down the entire course!" Runner up to Guay in the training run was Didier Cuche (winner of the Super G) who felt that he had lost time at top of the course: "I didn't ski well at the beginning but I made up for it at Ciaslat. However, to win the race one has to ski well on the entire course. I'm determined to do better at the top and squeeze out that crucial advantage at Ciaslat!" explained Cuche.

Marco Buechel used to have issues with the racing line at Ciaslat yet seems to have sorted this out: "I have figured out how to approach Ciaslat ending up much faster than expected," he explained. After the second training run, Buechel explained that he had "underestimated the speed!"

As if to emphasis the point that Fill made, the course was quicker on the second training run.  Hermann Maier came in in ninth place in the second training run and commented that "the speed was markedly different" for the run and that if racers wanted to be on the podium for the race then they could not afford to lose any time down the course if they wanted to be on the podium.

last word on the training runs goes to Erik Guay who posted the fastest training run time: "I had good luck one year and bad luck the next. Despite having done well in the training the race is quite another matter!"