Both Baxters out in controversial slalom

The fast flowing course set for the first run of the 5^th Men’s World Cup Slalom did not suit Alain Baxter.  Whilst Canadian Thomas Grandi excelled to lead the first run, Britain’s best was not on his game.  In the last four years, Baxter has placed in the top 20 on each occasion, with a best of 7^th in 2001.  High hopes were held for him after the turn of events in Chamonix last week.  It was not to be his day. 

Out of the start gate things looked promising, attacking from the outside; at the seventh gate Alain’s rhythm was upset, the outside ski flew up in the air and from there on things were not as smooth as before.  “He just seemed to lose it after the 7^th gate,” commented Konrad Bartelski.  By the mid section split, Alain was hanging on for the ride but falling further and further off the pace.  By the bottom a fifth successive finish at Wengen was out of the question and he slotted into 35^th that would drop to 42 at the end of the run.  No qualification for the second run. 

Alain just did not have the rhythm.  He knows he can ski much better than he did today but some days it does not flow.  Ask revitalised Japanese star, Kentaro Minagawa: Minagawa failed to finish a single race last year and this year has fought his way back up the start list with some impressive results.

The race was won in controversial circumstances by Alois Vogl of Germany.  With leader of the Slalom World Cup, Giorgio Rocca down in the finish and looking like he was heading for another win, the jury informed him that he had skied over and not round a gate, an illegal manoeuvre and this disqualifying him. Rocca and his coach checked the video to make sure this was correct.

Alois Vogl had come from 4^th after the first run to win the first slalom by a German since Peter Roth won his only slalom at Mt Hutt in New Zealand in 1990.  “I cannot quite believe it,” said the German.  “First Rocca was leading and then they told me I was winning, incredible!”

All three of the first run leaders made mistakes: Palander in third skied out, Raich salvaged third place after looking good for a leading run and first run leader Tom Grandi dropping way off the pace to finish in 23^rd place.  With Canadian Patrick Biggs jumping from 59 to 10^th, this is a name to watch out for.

For Noel the race was over almost before it began as he crashed out on the top section.  In trying to keep his upper body forward, Noel was bumped further forward by a bump as he came off the first steep and crashed out.  “That’s the way it goes,” he reflected in the finish after speaking with Konrad Bartelski.  “You just have to give it your all and stay focused on what is working.”

Wengen Extra Pieces