Two Americans finished in the top three at Friday’s Stifel Birds of Prey women’s downhill training. Italy’s Sofia Goggia posted the fastest time on a shortened training course at 58.89 seconds in preparation for Saturday’s World Cup race, followed by Lauren Macuga at 1.10 seconds back and Breezy Johnson coming in 1.27 seconds behind Goggia.
An incoming storm system produced windy and light snow conditions, forcing organizers to move the start position down to the super-G start, at an elevation of 3246 m. (10,650 ft.). That move took out the upper flat section as well as the famous steep “Brink” section. The start time was also moved an hour earlier than planned.
Goggia, 32, is making a return to competition after suffering two broken bones in her right leg in February. She has 18 World Cup downhill wins to her name — the leader among active racers. Johnson, 28, is also making a return to competition.
“I was finally more in race mode today, trying to push it a little more,” said Macuga, who said she approached the day as a race day, even without running the upper part of the course. “I feel like whenever I do that I can get into the zone.”
Women are racing downhill on the famed Birds of Prey course for the first time on Saturday, followed by a super G on Sunday. The course is one of the most challenging and revered on the men’s World Cup circuit. The only time women have previously raced on the Birds of Prey course was in 2011, when a super G originally scheduled from Val d’Isere, France was moved to Beaver Creek.
“With the start lower that was kind of awkward, but I get where they’re coming from,” said Macuga. “Flatter light, the snow and the wind. But it wasn’t anything that affected me too much. I had to be more aggressive, more everything. The course, it’s busy, but in a good way.”
Said American Jacqueline Wiles, who finished seventh on the day:, “The course is getting faster every day, a little bit more rattled, but it’s still in great shape. Mentally, it was a lot nicer not being as long, there were shorter intense moments, but it was great.”
“I was trying to go as fast as I could,” said Macuga, who was both surprised and pleased with her finish position. “It’s nice going into tomorrow. I just have to clean up the top part.”
Macuga says experiencing the Birds of Prey downhill for the first time levels the field in some respects, with all of the racers learning where to gain or check their speed, or which line to take through a particular turn to maximize their overall effort.
“This is only my third year on the full World Cup,” said Macuga. “So it’s kind of nice we’re all coming in here and no one knows what they’re [planning] to do. We’re all in the same spot.”
Macuga said she listened to what the U.S. men had to say about the course after the previous week’s training and racing. “Even though the course is slightly different, it’s slower, the things I got from them were vital — where to carry speed, where the most important turns were, where it’s going to be hard,” she said. “It gave us a little bit of an edge coming into it.”
Saturday’s downhill race is scheduled to start at 11 a.m. MST, as is Sunday’s super –G. All races are free and open to the public. More information can be found at bcworldcup.com.
RESULTS
Women’s downhill training run 3
Share this Story:
