The first training session on the Saslong has confirmed what the athletes and coaches said in advance: Due to the thin layer of snow the key sections on the Val Gardena World Cup course are particularly selective this year. The training runs, therefore, are especially important this year as it’s all about finding the right line on the Ciaslat “washboard�.

Werner Heel who has start number 30 tomorrow, stated it rather aptly today: “In the Ciaslat meadow your skis are in the air more than on the snow.� Dominik Paris should start right before Heel, but that’s not likely to happen. The Val Gardena races are probably all over for the South Tyrolean. The Ciaslat threw off the outdoorsman from Ultimo and flung the winner of Lake Louise into the nets causing an injury that is more serious than was at first suspected. Early on Wednesday evening Paris himself assumes it is a torn muscle in his left  lower leg and thinks he might be able to compete again in Bormio: “It was an unfortunate situation. I fell into the net and my boot hit my left lower leg with great force. It seems I have severe bruising and a muscle fibre tear in my lower leg. I hope to be back on my skis in no time, I will stay here in Val Gardena and I will start therapy tomorrow. The most important thing is that the haematoma as well as the pain disappear as quickly as possible. I’m still hoping to race here, but it’s not looking promising. Should I not be able to compete here in Val Gardena I want to be one hundred percent fit again in Bormio.�

Audio quote Dominik Paris (german)

The training run tomorrow will be launched by Andrej Sporn, Erik Guay has bib number 17, Silvan Zurbriggen and Hans Olsson who were surprisingly strong today will go into the training run with start numbers 47 and 71. The first of the Italian team is Christof Innerhofer, Peter Fill, the local hero, has bib number 24.

The training run will start at 12.15 tomorrow. There will be live commentary again on www.saslong.org.