The German speed team can be satisfied with the World Cup opener in Lake Louise. After strong placings in the downhill on Saturday, the men in the Super-G follow suit, with Andreas Sander driving the strongest. However, the race is interrupted for a long time after a terrible fall.
Ski racer Andreas Sander achieved his first top 10 finish since December at the Super-G in Lake Louise, breaking the national norm for the World Championships in February. When Swiss high-flyer Marco Odermatt won on Sunday, the 33-year-old German finished fifth. Second was the Norwegian Aleksander Aamodt Kilde ahead of Austria's Olympic champion Matthias Mayer.
"That was a run that was full of attacks. All in all, a great start to the Super-G season," said Sander. Simon Jocher (14th), Romed Baumann (17th), Josef Ferstl (27th) rounded off the satisfactory overall German result. Thomas Dreßen, who had shown a remarkable World Cup comeback the day before as eighth in the downhill after a two and a half year break, missed out on the points in his weaker discipline as 31st. Luis Vogt retired after a driving error.
Already early in winter there are signs of a duel between Odermatt and Kilde for the big crystal ball. Kilde had won the downhill the day before. Odermatt celebrated his second win of the season on Sunday and extended his lead in the overall World Cup.
The race was overshadowed by a serious crash by Swiss rider Mauro Caviezel. The 34-year-old speed specialist hit his head on the icy slope and crashed into the safety nets. Caviezel was only able to get up again after about ten minutes. A rescue helicopter transported the Swiss, who was bleeding in the face.
The Super-G might have been the last race in Lake Louise. The organizers have been struggling with financial problems for a long time. The chances of returning to Lake Louise in the future are slim, said FIS race director Markus Waldner at the weekend.
