Alpine 11/12 Feb

Men’s Downhill (Sochi; the 2014 Winter Olympics venue): Came into this late (but I think it will be on the BBC on Sunday), with 18 skiers already down this brand new track, of 64 listed starters; a very icy, hard course and bumpy too. Some feeling that this course is more Super G in parts than a true, classic downhill? At the time when I joined the spectators, Beat Feuz (Swi) was leading from Adrien Theaux (Fra) and Carlo Janka (Swi). Feuz (on his birthday?) was not perfect at the top, but went well lower down – Reichelt (Aut) seemed on course to do well, with a good advantage higher up, but lost it lower down, where Feuz was much cleaner and stronger. Didier Cuche went into 8th, which will narrow the gap in the overall downhill standings. Next came Bode Miller (USA) – hugely exciting as ever and green at the first two intermediates, but this is a demanding course and he lost out lower down – into third. Klaus Kröll (Aut) achieved one aim, getting more points than Cuche, but also could not get onto the podium – the overall standings are tighter after today’s race so it’s going to be a nail biting finish to the season!

Once again, just as everyone thought it might be over, Ben Thomsen (Can) from start number 27 caused another upset by going into 2nd place – best Canadian today, and yet another great performance from him! Kostelic (Cro) is no slouch on this course either, just in the points after his run which might be crucial at the end of the season, and also a good indicator of an exciting super combi tomorrow. So, the final placings are Feuz, from Thomsen, Theaux, Miller, Janka and Puchner; Cuche eventually in 12th. Meanwhile at Soldeu it’s run 1 of the Women’s Slalom (swap to this from GS due to conditions?) – some real surprises here, as both Vonn and Höfl-Riesch are DNFs and Marlies Schild (Aut) is only 5th fastest. Leader at present is Tanja Poutiainen (Fin) from Christina Geiger (Ger), Frida Hansdotter (Swe) and Kathrin Zettel (Aut). All to play for in run 2, and the early leader after 10 skiers had started was Michaela Kirchgasser (Aut), just holding it from Mikaela Shiffrin (USA) – good day for Mickies? Conditions still look quite nasty, with the wind blowing the surface snow around. Great run from Nastasia Noens (Fra) to take over the lead. Neither Maze (Slo) nor Hosp (Aut, DNF) can change things, but Gagnon (Can) goes into 2nd, which she holds until Borssen (Swe) and then Zuzulova (Svk) take it away in turn. Marlies Schild (Aut) starts with about a half second advantage and builds it into nearly double that to take a lead that Zettel (Aut) can’t match; next down Frida Hansdotter (Swe) takes 2nd away from Kathrin – two to go! Christina Geiger (Ger) loses a ski – seems OK – and then Poutiainen is on track; 0.74 advantage at the start; she’s losing time when a error puts her out too – another casualty of the wind? The win today goes to Marlies Schild (6th win from 7 starts?), from Frida Hansdotter, Kathrin Zettel and Nastasia Noens.