THE GOLDEN RATIO: A REDSTER PODIUM IN EVERY RACE
Alpine
DEC 19, 2017
What a weekend! With 3rd place in the parallel giant slalom in Alta Badia ski superstar Marcel Hirscher kept the golden Redster ratio: one Atomic athlete on the podium after every race. His victory on the Gran Risa above all showed one thing: his compulsory break has made him even stronger.
Atomic Racing Manager Christian Höflehner found an apt phrase for Hirscher’s great performance on the Gran Risa, where the Redster star finished with the best time in both runs and a gigantic 1.7 second lead: “Nobody has skied down this mountain like that before.” How true! Even the official statistics confirm that: win number 48, the fifth in Alta Badia, not even the great Alberto Tomba managed that. And as mega Marcel also achieved his 24th win in giant slalom, he has also equalled Ted Ligety’s record. Just like the steep starting slope Marcel also analysed his race tactically well: “A snapshot which I wouldn’t over evaluate. But the 2nd run was excellent, the material in top shape, the skis were excellent even in Beaver Creek”. Crystal globe number 7 was, after the broken ankle and training deficit, never an issue, and now he’s back on the heels of Henrik Kristoffersen in the overall World Cup: only 9 points down. The next event is the night slalom in Madonna di Campiglio.
“Nobody has skied down this mountain like that before.”
That Marcel Hirscher carved his way onto the podium in the parallel giant slalom shows two things: 1) he can be fast in this discipline as well and 2) and overall he’s probably skiing stronger now than before his injury. Overall it was a very successful Redster weekend, the team kept the ideal Redster ratio: the number of races equals the number of podium places.
SOFIA & MAX: BACK IN GREAT FORM AT THE SAME TIME
Max Franz (2nd and 3rd in super G and downhill in Gröden) and Sofia Goggia (2nd and 3rd in both super Gs in Val d‘Isère) are also back in great form and heading for success at the same pace: both are already in 5th place in the Overall World Cup. Mikalea Shiffrin remains the World Cup leader with 109 points lead, even though she recharged her batteries training in Norway. Behind the Redster blue chips the young guns are also a source of delight. Nikolas Köck (11th / Super G) carved his way to his best career result to-date by far, just like Anna Hofer the lady from South Tyrol in 10th place in the 2nd Val d’Isère race; Nicol Delago came in 11th with start number 50. Now the World Cup will carry on with the technical races in Courchevel.
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