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High winds and snow storms have dominated proceedings at the World Champs this week.
As the World Champs gear up for the Downhill races this weekend, Women’s Downhill training was called off on Monday, while Sunday’s Men’s training ended in high controversy as 9 racers including Bode Miller, Fritz Strobl (provisional winner of the training run), Christoph Gruber and Werner Franz were all disqualified for illegal suits.
It has been good so far for the Brits though. Finlay Mickel was able to capitalise on his good fortune and low winds to record the 3rd fastest time in training on Tuesday. Whilst a tremendous effort in itself, ten racers did not start and racers of the calibre of Daron Rahlves and others stood up before the finish to slow down. Rahlves put in a huge breaking manoeuvre after the last jump in an effort to slow down.
In the Women’s camp, Chemmy Alcott has been voted ‘Sexiest Racer’ by Austrian TV, while over in the Austrian camp, Hermann Maier showed the ugly side of his persona with his non appearance at the Austrian Team Press Conference on Sunday.
Maier, who has not won a World Cup Downhill this season and was placed only fourth in the Super G, was sad and upset that he had not been pre-selected for the race. He has known since last Saturday that he would have to qualify through the training runs.
With opinion divided as to whether Maier should be selected automatically for the racer that he is or should be disciplined for not attending the two events, one thing is for sure: Maier will have to race like the Herminator and not like the Hermann of recent weeks in Downhill.
The Downhill race will be held on Saturday at 1145, with the Women’s race at the same time on Sunday. Check BBC for live and highlights over the weekend.
The BBC have come in for criticism from Finlay Mickel as they cut Roger Cruickshank's run from their coverage of the Super G.
When asked why this was Graham Bell explained that the race was over. "The race came to a exciting climax and to have put Roger's run in would have only merited 10 seconds at best. It was not my `decision but he will need to do something spectacular to gain coverage for the downhill."
With coverage of racers good for the sport, Mickel explained that he had been very grateful to the Channel 4 coverage of the British racers this season: "BBC are seem more interested in the show rather than the British racers, Channel 4 have looked more at how the British guys have been doing." With many viewers watching to see how the British racers do, not showing them is hard on the guys!
British Eurosport will be showing the racers up to 13.15 CET. Cruickshank should be shown by Eurosport though they cannot guarantee this.
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