In the first downhill training session, the Saslong revealed a somewhat different facet of its usual profile, marked by unfamiliar terrain and extended jumps, ultimately clinched by the US American, Jared Goldberg. Here's a compilation of insights from some key racers following the training.
Aleksander Aamodt Kilde (2nd place): "The snow is exceptionally fast this year. The course boasts impressive speed, and the jumps are notably wide. I anticipate changes in conditions when it starts snowing. Certain jumps might require adjustments. Nevertheless, the course is in impeccable condition, as is customary in Val Gardena/Gröden. With contenders like Marco Odermatt, Vincent Kriechmayr, and the formidable US team, there's a plethora of favorites, and I count myself among them."
Dominik Paris (9th place): "I'm enjoying the Saslong this year. Everything seems a bit swifter than usual, indicating that a few sections might be fine-tuned. The upcoming races will hinge on weather conditions and how the course evolves. If the current conditions persist, it promises to be an exciting year, catering to a broader range of athletes beyond the Norwegians and Americans, who have dominated in recent years. Now, we Italians can also make our mark."
Florian Schieder (16th place): "My run was reasonably good up to the Ciaslat today, but unfortunately, I lost the line a bit afterward. The surface exceeded my expectations, and the jumps are impressively high and wide. I hope these conditions endure during the races. Following the successful results last season, there's higher personal pressure on me compared to a year ago. More spectators will be here in the coming days because of me, making it crucial to give my best and not disappoint my fans."
Christof Innerhofer (30th place): "My run wasn't up to par. I tinkered around and opted for longer skis, but I struggled to handle them. If today's conditions persist, the races might hold one or two surprises. However, with snowfall in the forecast, the snow could become more aggressive or blunter, and the track might slow down. Considering my time today, there might not be much in it for me."
Jared Goldberg, hailing from the United States and displaying a close connection with Saslong, navigated the course expertly, securing the top spot in the initial training run with a swift time of 2:02.19 minutes. This marked Goldberg's third top spot in a Val Gardena/Gröden training run, having previously triumphed in 2017 and 2020. However, in the actual race, he is still in pursuit of a top-tier finish, with his best Val Gardena/Gröden race result being sixth place in 2020.
Following Goldberg's lead, a cadre of formidable contenders positioned themselves for the upcoming downhill races. Renowned favorite and defending champion Aleksander Aamodt Kilde claimed second place with an exceptional second section performance (+0.25 seconds), while Switzerland's Stefan Rogentin secured the third spot (+0.37). German outsider Simon Jocher secured fourth place, and Austrian Daniel Hemetsberger finished fifth.
Among the fastest 15 were notable names such as Odermatt, Paris, and the defending champion Kriechmayr.
The top ten featured additional prominent performers, including overall World Cup winner Marco Odermatt (7th place) and local hero Dominik Paris from Ulten (9th place). Austrian Vincent Kriechmayr, a previous winner of a Val Gardena/Gröden downhill race, secured 14th place, just behind "Azzurro" Mattia Casse, who landed on the podium for the first time in 2022.
Joining Paris and Casse, three other Italians showcased their prowess in the first training run's top 30: Florian Schieder from Kastelruth claimed 16th place, Guglielmo Bosca secured 19th place, and veteran Christof Innerhofer from Gais finished 30th.