HEAD Racers cleaning up in the World Cup
On the Streif in Kitzbühel, Austria, the HEAD athletes displayed their top class ability, securing a triple triumph in the Super G. Marco Büchel came first after a hard fought battle with his HEAD colleague Hermann Maier who managed his first podium of the season in this second place finish, while the ultra consistent Didier Cuche graced the podium once again in this World Cup Season when he took third. One day after this Super G, the Swiss racer Cuche clocked the best time of the day with his failure free run in the Hahnenkamm Downhill and showed why he’s wearing the red jersey of the Downhill Champion. Spectacular on the Streif was American Bode Miller who took second place in the Downhill. Despite skiing over a banner near the safety fence half way through his run, Miller still managed to finish only 27 hundredths of a second behind Cuche. With Miller’s second place in the Downhill the foundation was set for a great Super Combined result. With his strong position after his performance in the Downhill the American did not have to take full risk in the Slalom and was able to ski to his title as 2008 ''Hahnenkamm Champion''.
After the victory at the Combined at Kitzbühel Miller continued to score in the World Cup with two more wins in the super combined races: At France’s wintersport playlands Chamonix and Val d' Isère, Miller again showed his all around skiing prowess, where the 30 year old was able to post times far ahead of the competition. He clocked the best time in the Chamonix Downhill so that he could again casually ski his way to victory in the Slalom and also to his lead in the overall World Cup. At the Super Combined in Wengen, Switzerland, Miller finished third. But this proved to have been only a practice run for Miller who in the following day at the Lauberhorn Downhill was again the man with the fastest skis. He also skied his way to the first Crystal globe of the season, the much desired Super Combined Crystal globe. Didier Cuche also performed well and took second place, giving team HEAD another double victory in this 2008 season.
The HEAD women are certainly on their way to the top in 2008. At the Giant Slalom in Slovenia’s Maribor, Elisabeth Görgl showed in two fantastic runs that HEAD skis are the fastest on the mountain. One week after the Austrian achieved her first season victory in Slovenia, she was back to prove that she is one of the best in the World Cup Speed Disciplines by taking the second place in the Super G at Cortina d' Ampezzo. Faster there was Maria Riesch, the German star who has been on the podium a number of times throughout the season because of her always fluidly skillful skiing. She celebrated her first season’s victory in the Super G on Italian snow. There the two HEAD skiers managed the first double victory of the season for the HEAD women. Both racers are in a fight for the top of the Super G and are ready to perform for the Crystal globe in the last third of this season.
The last couple of races of this World Cup are sure to hold more impressive runs and powerful performances from the men and women of HEAD. By the middle of March it will be the time for the big Crystal globe to be given, HEAD’s Didier Cuche, Bode Miller, and Co. will be strenuously working to assure themselves the top spots in the World Cup that their season long efforts demand.
