Alcott takes another step to greatness.
Chemmy Alcott produced a gutsy run to take 16th in the Super G in Val d’Isere. After the downhill had been cancelled due to bad weather and then numerous crashes had seen the race stopped, Alcott could have been excused for struggling to maintain her fine run of form. An uncharacteristic mistake at the top had seen her lose two seconds on Switzerland’s Fraenzi Aufdenblatten by the first split. Alcott is a fighter and skied the rest of the course clean and fast, clocking one of the fastest speeds through the speed trap on the La Daille run, 83kmh, just over 50mph.
When she crossed over the finish line she had clawed back time on the Swiss leader and would eventually finish in 16th spot. Her split to the finish was the third fastest of the race; a case of what may have been had it not been for the mistake at the top!
Mark Tilston, British Alpine Ski Team Head Coach, commented “Chemmy skied a bit too round at the top and gave the course a bit too much respect but she skied the bottom well. She is happy with the result but a little disappointed too as she knows if she had lost half of what she did lose at the top section it would have had a very different result”.
The race was marred by a big crash to Marie Marchand Arvier that saw her struggle at numerous times on the course before she crashed heavily, remaining motionless for a while before she was stretchered off the course. Anja Paerson was another to have a meeting with the catch fencing but did not appear to be injured as she skied off.
Like in the men’s race in Alta Badia, the same nation took the top two spots with Nadia Styger taking second with Fraenzi Aufdenblatten winning for Switzerland. Lindsey Vonn took third ahead of another Swiss racer, Fabianne Suter in fourth.
Vonn now takes over the lead in the Super G standings from Lizzi Goergl then Styger, Aufdenblatten and Suter. Chemmy Alcott is in 17th spot in the season long Super G standings and 25th overall.