Downhill: Jan Hudec with Bib 1
Val Gardena/Gröden’s classic World Cup Downhill will take place today, Friday (12/19) and not on Saturday, as usual. The race is starting at 12:15 pm with Jan Hudec from Canada; the training run’s fastest Steven Nyman from USA starts with number 7 and Dominik Paris, a local favorite, with number 16.
Hudec vom Canada knows this track well and has shown that he has what it takes to be at the top in the Downhill after placing 2nd in last year’s Super-G. He is followed by Silvan Zurbriggen from Switzerland (Winner 2010 Val Gardena/Gröden) and George Streitberger from Austria. The first Italian skier, Silvano Varettoni, is starting with number 4 while Steven Nyman, who clocked the best time during the training and is also two-times winner on the Saslong (2006/2012) will start with number 7.
Kjetil Jansrud could be one most likely to challenge Nyman. The Norwegian has won both of this season’s Downhill races and will start with number 21. Dominic Paris is the one that many locals will watch closely. The South Tyrolean is starting with number 16, his fellow team members Werner Heel with 11, Peter Fill with 13, Christof Innerhofer with 17 and Siegmar Klotz with 59.
The USA ski team is represented by Travis Ganong with 19, Marco Sullivan with 28, Jared Goldberg with 41, Bryce Bennett with 44, Thomas Biesemeyer with 55 and Andrew Weibrecht with 60.
