The last time we saw this event on the Olympic program Ester Ledecka came from out of nowhere (the Siberia that is bib #26) to win the gold medal. She's on the start list again today #2 and has already repeated as snowboard parallel GS Olympic Champion. Can she put herself in the mix again today? That's but one of the many storylines today in what might be the most fascinating race on the Alpine program this Olympics.
The ladies have had a chance to watch the men compete on the Rock course for the first week, but they haven't had the advantage of downhill training runs. Despite this, most of the tech specialists and all-arounders on the start list (Shiffrin, Worley, Gisin, Bassino, Robinson) only Vlhova is absent. The flat canyon section at the bottom of the course could be a challenge for smaller athletes and those who lack gliding skills. The last time the women's super-g season globe winner won the Olympic title in the same year was Michaela Dorfmeister in 2006.
Shiffrin & Goggia
Goggia crashed in Cortina on January 23rd. The injuries to her knee are extensive. Her primary focus is trying to be ready for the downhill, so it's no surprise she's not on the start list.
Shiffrin is on the start list, going out bib #11, which is perhaps a mild surprise given the disappointment of the tech events at these Games.
The Italians
The Italians sit 1-3 in the super-g season standings and have already wrapped up the discipline globe, with Brignone being first. Not to take anything away from them, but the domination isn't as complete as it appears at first glance. Gut Behrami, Shiffrin and Corinne Suter have been ill and/or injured at various points in the season and that's opened the door for the Italians. Other than Brignone, Curtoni is the Italian to watch. She's podiumed 3 times this season in SG including a win in Cortina.
Lara Gut-Behrami - Last season's super-g World Champion. She has one super-g victory this season on the World Cup (St. Moritz)and was 2nd in Lake Louise. She got covid in mid December and has looked a bit tired and lethargic and the results mostly reflect that. She scored a semi-surprise bronze in the GS at these Games and one wonders if that'll give her the positive mindset to go for it today.
Federica Brignone - Has won 3 of the 7 SGs this season, including the most recent race contested in Garmisch. Two of those wins were at least two of the following: Gut-Behrami, Shiffrin, Goggia.
Corinne Suter - She injured herself during the prep period in Zermatt and had slow start to the season, but the results have started to come in January. She won the Garmisch DH and was 2nd in the SG in Zauchensee.
Shiffrin - Regardless of what happened in the tech events, Shiffrin is such and intuitive
and gifted super-g skier that you can't count her out. 6th was her worst result in the four SGs that began the season with two podiums in St. Moritz before covid derailed her. She was of course SG World Champ in '19 and was 3rd last year in Cortina. A podium is possible.
Dark Horses - The Austrians! Huetter was co-first in Garmisch. Tippler was been 3rd and 2nd in the last two SGs. Don't be surprised if an Austrian is in the mix for a podium as they've dominated this event at the Olympics in recent years.
Facts & Trivia
Super-G has only been an Olympic discipline since 1988, debuting in Calgary.
The Swiss have never won the Olympic super-g (men or women). They have an excellent chance today through Gut-Behrami & C. Suter.
Austria has dominated the Olympic super-g. The Austrians have won 4 of the 9 gold medals awarded in the discipline.
Ester Ledecka is defending super-g Olympic champion. She can complete an unprecedented back-to-back double (she won the snowboard parallel GS gold earlier in the week, just as she did in PyeongChang).
Lara Gut-Behrami has finished 4th in the super-g at the last two Olympics!
Course Info
The course is situated in the Xiaohaituo Mountain Area in northwest Yanqing about 100km northwest of Beijing in the Yanqing District which is sandwiched between the Yellow Sea and the Gobi Desert. The super-g is on the same slope as the downhill course, but starts at the saddle jump.
Course Name: Rock
Course Designer: Swiss legend Bernhard Russi
Start Altitude: 1,825m / 5,988 ft
Finish Altitude: 1,285m /4,216 ft
Vertical Drop: 540m/ 1,772 ft
The Start List
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