Cuche wins, Bode disappoints
Tuesday December 1, 2009 - Email this article to a friend

For Didier Cuche it was the stuff dreams are made of.

He beat off the Austrian, Michael Walchoffer who put in the fastest training runs and Cuche was one of 3 Swiss racers in the top 5. A good day's work for the Swiss team.

The US legend, Bode Miller, was threatening to do well after coming second in the training runs but in the end could only manage joint 29th.

The weather lifted for Saturday's race after snowy conditions disrupted training runs earlier in the week and meant the volunteers had to work almost around the clock to clear the fresh snow off the course so it could go ahead on schedule.

Cuche clinched it with a time of 1.50.31, ahead of Werner Heel from Italy who recorded a time of 1.50.75; such is the margin of glory and second place in downhill ski racing.

Carol Janka from Switzerland was third with his compatriot, Ambrossi Hoffman in 5th place.  Separating them was the pre-race favourite, and former Lake Louise winner, Michael Walchoffer from Austria.

Bode Miller is disappointedThe talk afterwards was of Miller's result and it raises questions about his fitness and ability, but no-one at this stage will be writing him off.

The race was delayed for 30 minutes after a crash by the American, T.J. Lanning, who fell and hit a safety fence at high speed.

He was taken to the medical centre and is reported to be not seriously injured. 

For the full results see here.

We will bring you more information later about the race and a report from the spectators gallery from a PlanetSKI reporter, Lyndsay Webb, who was there working as one of the volunteers.

She wrote us a story on what it's like getting the course prepared here on PlanetSKI.

Bode Miller at Lake Louise on 29th November 2009 - 

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