BY: Don Cameron and Gordie Bowles
With Solden in the books and the Levi, Finland slalom events cancelled due to warm weather, the alpine World Cup season shifts to North America. Up next? Aspen giant slalom and shortly after, the speed openers at Lake Louise. With no shortage of drama, the ladies circuit will be a nail biter this season. S-Media recaps the biggest storylines as we dig into the 2015-16 season.
CAN ANYONE STOP SHIFFRIN?
The American superstar always has done things her way. Preferring an Italian pianist over Taylor Swift for prerace music, icy pitches over powder glades for freeskiing and word searches over visualization for race preparation, the 20-year-old who barely raced as junior has found her own unconventional path. Oh, and she was 0.01 seconds behind Italian Frederica Brigone at the Solden opener. The question we ask is: who’s going to grab ahold and attempt to keep up to this dynamo?
MITCH READY TO BREAK ON THROUGH?
Not long ago, the international media were touting the rising star of Canadian Marie-Michèle Gagnon. The talented racer from Lac-Etchemin, Que., has flirted with greatness over her first five years on the World Cup but has yet to find the next gear to reach the ultimate pinnacle. With two World Cup medals and 32 top-10 finishes, including two fifth-place finishes last season, “Mitch” is reportedly prepared to make a move. Let’s hope she can push aside that mediocre 25th place in Solden two weeks ago.
GNARLED-UP HAND AND RECOVERED KNEE: VONN EYES LAKE LOUISE
It wasn’t too long ago when Lindsey Vonn was sharing gross photos of her gnarled-up ankle after a training crash in New Zealand in August put her on the sidelines. But Vonn has returned from several serious injuries, managing to set the all-time women’s World Cup win record last season and capping the year by winning her seventh World Cup downhill title. She’s back on snow training (even with an gruesome hand injury after breaking up a fight between her dogs) and has her sights set on a Lake Louise return this month. This gal is as tough as nails.
FENNINGER IN THE POOL. SNOW AGAIN THIS SEASON?
Speaking of machines (and rehab) two-time overall champion Anna Fenninger suffered a gnarly knee injury after a training crash leading up to the World Cup opener in Soelden, Austria. The 26-year-old has started a rigourous rehab program, starting with pool therapy. This kid’s a warrior, don’t be too surprised if she returns this season.
A-MAZING OPPORTUNITY FOR EVERYONE ELSE?
When two-time Olympic champion Tina Maze of Slovenia decided to sit out this season before deciding if she will return to competition, she left a gaping hole in the overall race. Maze, the only skier to win multiple gold medals (downhill and super-combined) at the Sochi Olympics also captured two golds and a silver at the World Championships at Beaver Creek, Colorado, in February.
LARA GUT – READY TO POUNCE
The talented and vibrant Swiss skier is lurking in the shadows to pounce on an overall title. With a new ski after signing with Head in the off-season, the 12-time World Cup winner is hitting her peak stride, finishing fourth at the Solden opener and an overall form that challenges in four disciplines, she could be the darkhorse to take it all in 2015-16.
OLIDES BUT GOODIES … AVERAGE 29.5 YEARS, REALLY?
Female ski racers typically have moved through the sport quicker than men. But an interesting trend is developing at the top end. The average age of the top speed skiers (super-G and downhill) last season was 29.5 years, whereas the men’s side was a cool 28. And the overall top 10 World Cup tells a similar story, with an average age of 25.3 for women and 27.4 for men. Take 20-year-old Mikaela Shiffrin out of the equation and the women’s average age jumps to 29.1.
