The German speed aces are still waiting for their first top placement this season. But the training trips before the World Cup in Val Gardena give hope. Kira Weidle-Winkelmann is also competing in St. Moritz despite a “bad” knee.
With good training performances, the German ski racers have raised hopes of a top placing in the World Cup races in Val Gardena.
After Romed Baumann finished third in the first test run for the downhill on Saturday (11.40 a.m. in the Sportschau live stream) on the Saslong behind Mattia Casse (ITA) and overall World Cup winner Marco Odermatt (SUI), Simon Jocher took third place on Wednesday ( December 18, 2024) fourth place. On the legendary route from Ciampinoi down to the outskirts of Wolkenstein, a Super-G will be held on Friday (11.20 a.m. in the live stream).
Baumann draws a positive interim conclusion
“I found my way around the track quite easily and the set-up was also good“, Baumann reported after the first training session. In the second ride he took it easy and crossed the finish line in 20th place behind the well-rounded young runner Luis Vogt (15th). Jocher still had “some errors” installed and missed the ideal line. This time things went much better for the 28-year-old.
With 20th place in the Super-G, Baumann achieved the best German placement in the first speed races of the season in Beaver Creek the week before last. The descent in Val Gardena is in comparison “the characteristics are completely different“, said the 38-year-old. “Like every year, there are many waves and jumps on the route.“
Following the races in Val Gardena, there will be a giant slalom in neighboring Alta Badia on Sunday (9:50 a.m. in the live stream) and a slalom on Monday (10 a.m. in the live stream).
Weidle-Winkelmann starts despite a bad knee
After her training fall last Friday in Beaver Creek, Kira Weidle-Winkelmann now feels ready for the two Super-G races on Saturday (10:25 a.m. in the live stream) and Sunday (10:50 a.m. in the live stream) in St. Moritz, in which Lindsey Vonn is her There will be a comeback in the World Cup.
your knee be “struck“From a medical point of view, there’s nothing to stop her from competing, said the 2021 World Cup runner-up.”I am currently undergoing intensive physiotherapeutic treatment so that I can be fit again at the start and gain confidence in my knee again.“
Disappointing weekend in Beaver Creek
Weil-Winkelmann canceled her participation in the first World Cup downhill in the USA last weekend due to illness and after a fall in training. A day later she was eliminated from the Super-G after the first half of her race. Now she’s looking forward to it,”to attack again and really get into the World Cup action“said the 28-year-old.”In general, St. Moritz is always a cool World Cup, usually with a dream slope.”
In addition to Weidle-Winkelmann, Emma Aicher is also competing in St. Moritz. In Beaver Creek, the 21-year-old crossed the finish line behind after a major driving error on the descent. She finished 28th in the Super-G.