Beaver Creek World Cup – Kilde wins downhill ahead of Odermatt

We take the same and start again. As in Lake Louise last weekend, Aleksander Aamodt Kilde dominated the descent of Beaver Creek, his second success already this season, the 15th of his career in the World Cup. Imperial on the sliding sections, despite a wall a little more hesitant than usual, the Norwegian carved out the Birds of Prey, in nevertheless complicated conditions (strong wind at the top), for the second consecutive season, after his two successes (downhill + Super-G) last year.

Third in Lake Louise, the Swiss Marco Odermatt was the only one to compete with Kilde but that was not enough to win. He still takes 2nd place (+0”06) and consolidates his place as overall leader of the World Cup. The Canadian James Crawford (+ 0”79) completes the podium. Best Frenchman of the day, Matthieu Bailet takes 8th place (+ 1”22).

Odermatt closes but still bows

When it’s not one, it’s the other. After four events this season, only Aleksander Aamodt Kilde and Marco Odermatt have won. But downhill, the Norwegian is irresistible. Already a winner at Lake Louise, he took full advantage of changing conditions on the Birds of Prey to achieve a 2/2 in the discipline. Impressive on the top sliding section, before the wind picked up there and became head-on, Kilde was then not imperial in the wall, with a few hesitant left feet but he recovered at the best of times , just out of the wall, to gain speed with the bottom. And that’s where he made the difference.

Marco Odermatt however took half a second from him in the wall, three hundredths on the sliding part of the bottom of the course… But the four tenths dropped in the 3rd sector were very expensive. Simply victory. After the 0”10 which separated him from Kilde at Lake Louise, the Swiss only lacks 0”06 this time to clinch the first success of his career in downhill.

Bailet, only tricolor thinning

The Norwegian is now at eight and retains his crown on the Birds of Prey after his success last year. Enough to approach Sunday’s Super-G, which he also won last season, with full confidence. Starting with bib 2, James Crawford finished very far from the infernal duo (+ 0”79 from Kilde) but the Canadian still won the first podium of his downhill career, at 25 years old.

The day was more complicated for the tricolor clan. And, as in the Lake Louise Super-G, Matthieu Bailet was the best Frenchman. Starting off in less than optimal conditions, however, the Niçois was able to let go to carve the curves while letting go of the skis, an aggressive attitude that many of his compatriots lacked. In the end, he grabbed a nice 8th place (+1”22), the only top 15 for a Frenchman on this descent. Chilled by the lack of visibility, Johan Clarey had to settle for 18th place (+ 1”60). The only other Habs in the points is Blaise Giezendanner, who finished 29th (+ 2”27). For his part, Alexis Pinturault will have to wait to score his first downhill points in the World Cup (33rd).