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Ophelie David (FRA), Karin Huttary (AUT), Lars Lewen (SWE) and Enak Gavaggio (FRA) are in best form for the Jan. 19 Nature Valley Freestyle Cup Ski Cross competition in Lake Placid, the fourth of 10 races this season organized by the International Ski Federation (FIS).
David leads the women’s World Cup standings; Huttary is positioned in the seventh spot. Lewen is ranked 13th, while Gavaggio, back after a nasty injury last year, is placed at 17.
The rankings become increasingly important as the skiers now look toward qualifying for the Vancouver games. Under FIS rules, competitors qualify for the Olympics if they have placed in the top 30 in a World Cup event or World Championships. Athletes require a minimum of 100 FIS points by Jan. 18, 2010 to be allowed a spot at the starting gates in what will be the first time Ski Cross is introduced at the Olympics.
Ski Cross is a futuristic mix of downhill skiing over a piste that looks like a motocross course. It requires lightning fast reflexes and technical expertise to maneuver the jumps, gaps, moguls of all descriptions, banked turns and speed sections. Ultimately, it boils down to a battle against the four fastest skiers on the hill at the same time.
It is one of three Freestyle ski events to be elevated to Olympic status over the last two decades. Freestyle moguls became an Olympic event in 1992 in Albertville. Freestyle aerials were added for the 1994 Winter Games in Lillehammer.
Swedish car brand Saab and French mountain sports company Salomon have been strong supporters in the ski cross scene since 2001 with the International Saab Salomon Crossmax Series. In addition to the Ski Cross team, Saab Salomon brands also sponsor a mountain biking team and an outdoor summer sport team.
This week, in Flaine, France, defending Ophelie David won her first World Cup race of the season, followed by Ashleigh McIvor (CAN) in second. January 10, David placed second at a FIS World Cup event in Les Contamines, France.
David, FIS World Cup winner in 2005, 2006 and 2007, joined the Saab Salomon team in 2007. She came to the Ski Cross discipline late, in 2003, after racing for Hungary in Alpine events. Her trophy cabinet also sports a bronze medal from the 2006 X-Games and two gold medals from the 2007 and 2008 X-Games. Last season, she had a fifth place World Cup Overall Ranking with a total of 14 World Cup victories. Currently she is number one.
Huttary, a member of the Saab Salomon Pro Team since 2002, has captured two golds (2004, 2006) and two silvers (2003, 2005) at the X-Games. She won the 2003 World Cup and World Champion in 2005. After a severe back injury in 2007, Huttary won the Tignes Air Waves before being injured again during the 2008 X-Games. With strong motivation, she has made a strong comeback this season, winning third place in Flaine this week.
Lewen, top rider of the Saab Salomon team since 2002, won fame at both the Winter X-Games, with two golds (2003, 2006) and one silver (2004) and the World Cup, where he finished third in 2004. Gavaggio, a member of the Saab Salomon team since 1999 and considered the bad boy of Ski Cross, is the most titled skier of the X-Games, winning in 1999 and placing third in 2001, 2002, 2003 & 2005. He was out most of last season after a bone-splitting fall, but has made a remarkably strong recovery this season.
By GM Europe
Posted January 16th, 2009 by harminka
