Soelden: Vonn, McJames in top 15

Racing got underway on the World Cup today in Soelden, Austria. The women raced high on the Rettenbach glacier, despite thinner than normal cover. The men take to the hill tomorrow.
It's always exciting to watch the first race of the season. We get to see how new skis react to the conditions and we get a sense for who's well-prepared for the long string of races ahead. Soelden is always a bit of a crap shoot. You could argue that each race has it's fair share of the unexpected, but we tend to see the most abberations right at the beginning of the year. Rogue athletes who do well in the first few races can score enough points to get in the top 30 and stay there, while big crashes in the first few races can toss those on the cusp into a tough position. In other words, you had better be on your game right away.
The US women seemed to have things pretty dialed in. Lindsey Vonn finished 9th and Megan McJames got off to a terrific start finishing 14th. Race favorite Julia Mancuso struggled a bit and ended up 17th and Sarah Schleper, Jessica Kelley and Stacey Cook failed to qualify.
Schleper came closest finishing the first run 38th - it was her first since 2006. She is on the road with her son, Lasse, who watched with his grandmother from the finish. Schleper has been skiing fast in training, so expect to see her back in the top 30 soon.
Vonn, typically a speed skier, powered though the course to 10th after run one. Vonn admitted to skiing some sections better than others, but her effort lead the US team. Just imagine what will happen when she puts a whole run together. Listen to what Vonn had to say after the race below:


Video courtesy U.S. Ski Team

Glacial ice makes for ski prep nightmare

In the days before the race, the entire World Cup field descends on Soelden. The hill is divided into training lanes and each team gets a time slot to prepare. Sometimes, teams share a spot since space is so limited. Glacial ice always takes a toll on skis, dulling down edges more quickly than normal and causing damage to the skis base.
This year, the ice in Soelden was particularly nasty due to a lack of fresh snow. Rocks and dirt, mixed in with the ice made it so bad that during training racers had up to four pairs of prepped skis on the hill. After about two runs edges were so dull, that technicians took the skis to sharpen mid-session.
Deciding what skis to use in any given race is always a factor. Conditions vary and racers usually have an array of skis to choose from. When ruining your best pair of skis before the race becomes a possibility, athletes will generally try and preserve them at all costs - but that affects familiarity with the skis and feel, which can play into the results.

For official results click here.