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Tessa Worley wins the GS in Aspen!
Nov, 29 2008
Women’s World Cup, Aspen (USA): Tessa Worley (Fra) wins the Giant Slalom!
At only 19 years old, the young French skier from Le Grand Bornand puts an end to nine years without victory for the women’s French ski team in Giant Slalom, by winning the first of the two World Cup races held this weekend in Aspen.
6th best time in the first run, Tessa took all the risks in the second round to beat the Finn specialist, Tanja Poutiainen, by 28/100 of second.
This success from Tessa in Giant Slalom is the first for the women’s French ski team since Régine Cavagnoud’s win at Copper Mountain in November 1999.
«It’s quite a surprising win, things went really fast for me since my first top-10 result last season at Soelden.”
“I didn’t feel sure about my chances for a top-position this morning prior the race as I never competed here.”
“In the first run, I had my problems too with the bad visibility and the slippery snow so I was pleased to finish so close to the leaders. I was very motivated afterwards and I considered the second run as a fully new race. I just tried not to think about the result but to fully focus on my skiing and the difficult slope.”
“To win your first World Cup race on a slope that you don’t know is pretty amazing. I guess that I felt pretty comfortable and also confident because the conditions were demanding for everybody and the course technically challenging.”
“It’s a huge success for me and the team. It has been a while since the last French win in that specialty – almost ten years. The last winner was our great Regine Cavagnoud and it’s somehow very special to be her successor in that event. She has been such a great champion and a role model for many of us.”
With this win, the 19-year-old Worly is already sure to be qualified for the up-coming FIS World Championships at Val d’Isère next February. The difficult “La Face” course should also inspire here.
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Jean-Baptiste Grange winner of Levi’s slalom!!!
Nov, 16 2008
Strong season start for the French skier and great surprise from Silvan Zurbriggen, 4th!
France's Jean-Baptiste Grange clearly won the first men's World Cup slalom of the season at Levi after fending off the unexpected challenge of American Bode Miller, the defending Overall World Cup champion.
The 24-year-old Frenchman, who captured three slaloms last winter before losing the World Cup title in the final race to Italian Manfred Moelgg, beat the other competitors today by 79/100. This is the fifth win on the World Cup tour for the current leader of the Slalom and Overall World Cup!
“JB” who celebrated victories in ‘Classic’ races as Wengen or Kitzbühel last winter, was elate after the race – and also somehow surprised to win after making a notable mistake in the middle of his second run.
“I’m surprised, I was afraid to have missed the chance to win that race after that error which almost pulled me out of the course,” he said afterwards. “The course was rough and I charged hard in the lower part to make-up some time,” he added. “Fortunately, I was very determined and my skis were perfect in the last steep pitch prior the finish line. It’s wonderful to start the slalom season with such a great result, especially after what happened at the end of last season. I trained very well this summer and I felt very confident coming here after getting that excellent 12th place at Soelden last month.”
“In fact, I must admit I was not in Levi for a podium, only for a win," also said Jean-Baptiste who impressed all his rivals and teammates in recent training camps. “I knew people expected a lot from me today, I felt it a lot and I’m happy to have also overcome that pressure. I expect a lot from that season, I feel much stronger too and my new skis are really efficient in the tough sections.”
A great surprise also today from Switzerland’s Silvan Zurbriggen who achieved a spectacular comeback finishing 4th, eleven month after tearing off his knee ligaments at Val Gardena during a bad crash while racing downhill.
Note that Silvan clocked the fastest time in the second run!
«It’s really sensational. I couldn’t expect for such a result. This is a splendid performance which immediately gives me in the blow and allows me to be replaced among the best in that discipline.”
“I was very nervous before the race because I didn’t run since 11 months. A qualification for the 2nd run was already a success, but this 4th place is really exceptional especially with the best time of the 2nd run." " I went back on the skis only at the beginning of August, but I had to await the beginning of autumn to start again the training and I am still far to have found all my feelings. I certainly will know difficult moments in the months to come but this is important to see that I have the means to be back at the top level. And this gives me a lot satisfaction and confidence!”
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