Birds of Prey

[ZionPow]

Time to get the stoke going for the speed events! Travis did well in downhill training run yesterday. Look how close the Norwegian trio were time wise. They are dominating so far this season. Amazing!

http://www.fis-ski.com/alpine-skiin...iscipline=&gender=all&race_id=90960&sector=AL

 

[Tricia]

Facebook Live from Beaver Creek - Now -(should replay later)

 

[4ster]

 

[Muleski]

Very rough day for the home team, and the Canadians. Ugh.

Lot of good skiing. Not so much by us.

Hope the next two days go much better!!

 

[Started at 53]

Hard to do worse. I was even leaning into the turns to try to help them out.

Gotta love the NBCsn app

 

[PisteOff]

It really looked like Ligety was going to make a big statement on his return after the first run. 5th is a great outcome and he was just a few small mistakes away from the podium. Hirscher ended up making the big statement on his return instead. It's going to be good to have Ted back. He definitely adds drama with his presence.

 

[4ster]

^Yeah, today answered some questions. Great to see!
Henrik also had a blazing 2nd run.

 

[Muleski]

Ted's favorite hill. Ted's favorite snow. Good day. This is a deep field, and some very good skiers just had lousy days. It looks like Ligety should be right in the mix.

I think that Hirscher is a podium bet every single GS race. I'm hoping that Ted will be a top five, again every single day, with a couple of wins, and a good dose of podiums.

But guys like Pintu, HK, Math Faivre....along with others can bring it on any given day. Having the season's first GS in December is strange. Particularly with the new skis, and with all of the discussion about what to expect in course sets.

I think it's still very early, and I was very, very pleased to see Ted's skiing. Hope that his back holds up, and that he stays healthy and injury free.

I am more concerned with injuries than ever. Not sure if there is any logic to that. Sure seems like a lot of season ending wrecks in training and racing right now.

Best of luck to Ted. Makes things a lot more interesting for Team USA.

BTW, nice skiing by Tommy Ford. He's very, very close.

And as I posted the other day.....keep both eyes on River Radamus. He's going to be something very special.

 

[PisteOff]

BTW, nice skiing by Tommy Ford. He's very, very close.
And as I posted the other day.....keep both eyes on River Radamus. He's going to be something very special.

Yea, that's right, lets not forget Tommy Ford's second run. That was a solid run. If he could put two of those together he could start to podium.

 

[Muleski]

This GS field is really good. It did not show as much today.

MH, Math Faivre, HK, Pintu, Ligety. There are another 10 who can push those guys, easily. Tommy Ford on any given run is right there. The point that he needs two is spot on.

I think that if Tommy Ford can put those two solid clean runs together, he becomes a solid top 10 performer. That would be a good jump. I think he's a ways away from the podium, or being a consistent podium challenger. But the margins are so close.

Great time to be watching men's GS, for sure! Too bad Neureuther is out. He's another legit skier in that group.

I'm going to be interested to see how things look after a few starts. What we see for sets, how much the skis make a difference, etc.

 

[Frankly]

It was hard to tell whether it was the set or the 30m skis but it was nice to see carved turns again.

 

[Blue Streak]

And as I posted the other day.....keep both eyes on River Radamus. He's going to be something very special.

There was a lot of excitement on the hill for this kid. And he skied great!

 

[Blue Streak]

All in all, it was a very exciting day of racing.

Ted was looking good, but Marcel’s greatness is undeniable.

 

[Viking9]

Marcel’s first 5 or 6 turns seemed to be shot out onto the tv screen.
Very impressive.

 

[Muleski]

There was a lot of excitement on the hill for this kid. And he skied great!

Vail native. Great genes as well. Great kid, too.

 

[Swede]

One great and one terrible run by Ligety. He looks healthy tho.
Mats 9th today, also with a 2nd containing a lot of mistakes. Muhrer ... very fast and then very slow ... and fast ... and slow.
Hirscher is just unbelievsble.
r30 is making it much nicer to look at. And too ski as well.

 

[4ster]

Vail native. Great genes as well. Great kid, too.

Even though I watched the first run I somehow missed his (River Radamus). If anyone has a link to his run, I would like to see it. I started paying attention to him a few years ago when he pretty much swept th Youth Olympics.
Bode made some interesting comments about some of the younger guys technique & how well it was working in the aggressive Colorado snow. I need to investigate .

One great and one terrible run by Ligety. He looks healthy tho.
Mats 9th today, also with a 2nd containing a lot of mistakes. Muhrer ... very fast and then very slow ... and fast ... and slow.
Hirscher is just unbelievsble.
r30 is making it much nicer to look at. And too ski as well.

Yeah, didn't see too many stivots on either run. As I think Henrik stated in the post race press conference, it seemed to ski a lot more like real GS.

Ted also said post race that his back was not an issue, & that he just didn't ski well in the second run. He made no excuses.