Newsletters - 2006/07 Season

[Andrew]

Snow Valley.WS Newsletter 8/07

February 19, 2007

This week, the World Championships concluded for Alpine Skiing. Luge completed its last World Cup of the season, and Bobsleigh and Skeleton are now just one round away from the end. Nordic Skiing is also still preparing for the World Championships as only Cross-Country was in action.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PAST WEEK

Alpine Skiing World Championships
Plenty of action in Are this week in the Technical events. No more Golds for Anja though. Austria finally won Gold as Nicole Hosp won the women's Giant Slalom. Anja fell out of the race. The men's Giant Slalom was won by Aksel Lund Svindal, who already won Gold in the Downhill. Double-Gold for the World Cup leader. Slalom Gold for the Women went, for the first time to Czech Republic, as Sarka Zahrobska won the competition. Not a big surprise but she still pushed World Cup leader Marlies Schild to Silver. The men's Slalom went to an Austrian but not Raich. It was Mario Matt's. Mario would go on to help Austria, also, to Gold in the Team event.

Cross-Country Skiing
With the World Championships starting next Thursday, the World Cup went to China mid-week. The field was very thin. Some new names took the wins in the Sprint, as Evgenia Shapovalova of Russia won the women's competition and Ola Vigen Hattestad of Norway won the men's. The Norwegians swept the top 5 in the men's. The individual Freestyle races were a different story. Czech Katerina Neumannova took the women's 10k and World Cup leader Tobias Angerer took the men's 15k. Despite her absence, Virpi Kuitunen still leads the women's overall.

Bobsleigh and Skeleton
Entering the penultimate round of the World Cup, the sledders went to Winterberg, Germany. The Skeleton competitions went to Katie Uhlaender won and clinched the women's World Cup title. The men's competition was won by Russian Alexander Tretiakov. Zach Lund still leads overall but teammate Eric Bernotas can still catch him in Königsee but that is unlikely. Germans Sandra Kiriasis and Andre Lange won the women's and 2-man bobsleigh, respectively. Sandra retook the lead overall and Steven Holcomb leads for the men. The four-man went to Evgeni Popov, who inchs ever closer to the title.

Luge
The World Cup came to an end in Sigulda, Latvia, with 2 World Cup titles to be decided but only as a mere formality. Silke Kraushaar-Pielach continued Germany's winning streak in the women's event, with their 73rd consecutive World Cup win. She had already won the overall last week. Armin Zoggeler won the men's singles, and clinched his 6th World Cup title. The doubles race was won by Italian pairing Plankensteiner and Haselrieder. Leitner and Resch of Germany finished 7th, which was enough to clinch the title, their 5th.


THINGS TO WATCH THIS WEEK

Major event & World Cup Action
Nordic World Ski Championships - starting February 22 in Sapporo, Japan
Biathlon European Championships - from February 20 - Bansko, Bulgaria
Alpine Skiing - Men - Garmisch, Germany - Feb. 23-25 - 2 Downhills and a Slalom
Alpine Skiing - Women - Sierra Nevada - Feb. 24-25 - Giant Slalom and Slalom
Bobsleigh and Skeleton season finale - Königsee, Germany - Feb. 23-25

There are also minor competitions (Europa Cup, American Cup, Continental Cup) to follow, which you can check out on the forum regularly.
You can already take a look at some news from the Nordic Ski Championships and the Biathlon European Championships, namely, the teams being sent by some National Federations.

[Andrew]

Snow Valley.WS Newsletter 9/07

February 26, 2007

This week, the Nordic World Championships got underway, the Alpine Skiing World Cup tour returned and the European Biathlon Championships were in Bansko.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PAST WEEK

Cross-Country World Championships
In Sapporo, the Championships got underway. On the first day inside the Sapporo Dome, Norwegian junior Astrid Jacobsen won the women's sprint, and compatriot Jens Arne Svartedal won the men's competition. The Team Sprints went to Finland, for the women, and Italy for the men. Axel Teichmann took Gold in the 30 km Pursuit. The women's 15 km Pursuit was won by Russia's Olga Savialova

Ski Jumping World Championships
Also in Sapporo, the ski jumpers competed for Gold. The Individual Large Hill title went to the Swiss Harry Potter, Simon Ammann. Austria dominated the Team event with Wolfgang Loitzl, Gregor Schlierenzauer, Andreas Kofler and Thomas Morgenstern. Home nation Japan went home with Bronze. A bit unexpected.

Nordic Combined World Championships
The Finnish king of Nordic Combined, Hannu Manninen, finally won a major competition Gold, after winning the Sprint event. Until now he had been a complete flop in the Olympics and World Championships. He would then go on to help Finland to Gold in the Team Sprint with Anssi Koivuranta, Janne Ryynaenen and Jaakko Tallus.

European Biathlon Championships
Bansko, Bulgaria hosted the Championships this year. For the men, the titles went to Egil Gjelland in the Individual, Tomasz Sikora won the Sprint and Pursuit, and Germany won the Relay. For the women, Oksana Yakovleva of Ukraine won the Individual, Belarussian Darya Domracheva won the Sprint, her compatriot Olga Kudrashova won the Pursuit and, as a team, Belarus won the Relay.

Alpine Skiing
The World Cup tour returned. In Sierra Nevada, Spain, Austria dominated. Michaela Kirchgasser won the Giant Slalom and Marlies Schild won the Slalom. Schild clinched the Slalom title and re-took the lead overall.
The men's tour was in Garmisch. The 2 Downhills went to surprise victors. Slovenian Andrej Jerman and Canada's Erik Guay took their first career victories. Jerman's victory was also Slovenia's first ever Downhill victory. World Champion Mario Matt won the Slalom. Aksel Lund Svindal continues to lead overall.

Bobsleigh and Skeleton
The World Cup came to an end in Königsee. The women's Skeleton race went to Germany's Anja Huber. The men's competition was won by American Zach Lund, who also takes home the overall title. Sandra Kiriasis won the women's bobsleigh race and confirmed her World Cup title. The 2-man Bobsleigh competition went to Andre Lange but it was Steven Holcomb of the US who went home with the overall title in a tiebreaker with Pierre Lueders. The 4-man title went to Evgeni Popov but the last race went to Canadian Lueders.


THINGS TO WATCH THIS WEEK

Major event & World Cup Action
Nordic World Ski Championships - concludes on March 4 in Sapporo, Japan
Biathlon - from February 28 to March 4 (Individual, Sprint and Pursuit) - Lahti, Finland
Alpine Skiing - Men - Kranjska Gora, Slovenia - March 3-4 - Giant Slalom and Slalom
Alpine Skiing - Women - Tarvisio, Italy - March 2-4 - Super Combi, Downhill and Super G

There are also minor competitions (Europa Cup, American Cup, Continental Cup) to follow, which you can check out on the forum regularly.

[Andrew]

Snow Valley.WS Newsletter 10/07

March 5, 2007

This week, the Nordic World Championships came to a close, Biathlon returned to action and the Alpine Skiers were in action

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PAST WEEK

Cross-Country World Championships
In Sapporo, the Championships concluded this week with 6 more races. Katerina Neumannova won Gold in the 10 km Free. Men's Gold in the 15 km Free went to Biathlete Lars Berger on a stormy chaotic day. Finland won the women's Relay, lead by Virpi Kuitunen who went on to win the 30 km Classic Mass Start. Norway did the same in the men's side, winning the Relay without some of it's biggest 'stars', and then Odd Bjoern Hjelmeset won the 50 km Classic Mass Start ahead of teammate Frode Estil.

Ski Jumping World Championships
Also in Sapporo, the ski jumpers completed their journey to Gold. The final competition, the Normal Hill, was won by Poland's great Adam Malysz, who dominated the competition. He beat the Swiss Harry Potter and Austrian Thomas Morgenstern.

Nordic Combined World Championships
After Hannu Manninen led Finland to Gold in the first 2 events, this time there was too much to do and it was German Ronny Ackermann who went away with Gold. Bill Demong of USA took Silver and another Finn, Anssi Koivuranta, won Bronze.

Biathlon
The World Cup returned in Lahti without Bjoerndalen, who was in Japan. On the women's side, Andrea Henkel won the Individual, and Martina Glagow took home the victories in Sprint and Pursuit. Just as Germany swept the Golds on the women's side, France swept the men's events but with one man, Raphael Poiree, who's decided to retire on a big high. He's one step away from winning the World Cup in Individual and is etching closer to the top of the overall, which is now led by Michael Greis. The women's tour is led by another German, Kati Wilhelm.

Alpine Skiing
The Women were in Tarvisio this past weekend. Nicole Hosp won the Super Combi, Julia Mancuso won the Downhill and Renate Goetschl won the Super G. Renate has already taken home the overall in Downhill and Super G, but the Overall, which she leads, is going to be a battle to the end with Mancuso, Hosp and Marlies Schild.
The men were 'next door' in Kranjska Gora, where Benni Raich won the Giant Slalom and teammate Mario Matt continue his winning ways in Slalom. Raich finally dethroned Svindal from 1st place overall and both of the Technical World Cups are still up for grabs.

Curling Junior World Championships
The stars of the future go for Gold in Minnesota, USA. The competition started on Saturday with the first Round Robin matches. The defending champions are on hand, Russia's Ludmila Privivkova for the women and Canada's Charley Thomas for the men.


THINGS TO WATCH THIS WEEK

Major event & World Cup Action
Alpine Skiing - Men - Kvitfjell, Norway - March 9-11 - Super Combi, Downhill and Super G
Alpine Skiing - Women - Zwiesel, Germany - March 10-11 - Giant Slalom and Slalom
Alpine Skiing - World Junior Championships - Flachau and Altenmarkt, Austria - March 7-11
Biathlon - from March 7-11 (Individual, Sprint, Pursuit and Mass Start) - Holmenkollen Norway
Nordic Tournament - March 9-11 - Lahti, Finland - Cross-Country, Ski Jumping and Nordic Combined
Freestyle Skiing World Championships - Madonna di Campiglio, Italy - March 6-10
Curling World Junior Championships - Eveleth, Minn., USA - ends on March 11


There are also minor competitions (Europa Cup, American Cup, Continental Cup) to follow, which you can check out on the forum regularly.

[Andrew]

Snow Valley.WS Newsletter 11/07

March 13, 2007

Because I will be away Monday and Tuesday, I'm sending this a bit earlier so not all information of the week will be available (Men's Curling World Junior Championship final).

This week, the Alpine Skiing World Junior Championships were on in Austria, as well as the Freestyle Skiing World Championships. The World Cups of Alpine Skiing and Biathlon concluded their penultimate rounds as the Winter season is almost completed.

HIGHLIGHTS OF THE PAST WEEK

Alpine Skiing
The Technical women were in Zwiesel, Germany. Nicole Hosp won the GS on day 1 and Marlies Schild won the Slalom. Marlies retook the lead in the World Cup. Now the top 4 are separated by 102 points.
The men were in Kvitfjell, Norway for 3 events. Benjamin Raich won the Combined, Didier Cuche won the Downhill and clinched the Downhill title, and Hans Grugger won the Super G and Bode Miller clinched the discipline title. Raich continues to lead the Overall but now Cuche is second, 92 points behind. Svindal is 103 behind.

Alpine Skiing World Junior Championshps
Altenmarkt hosted the Speed events and Flachau hosted the Technical events. For the men the Golds went to Beat Feuz of Switzerland in Downhill and Super G, Marcel Hirschler of Austria in GS, and Matic Skube of Slovenia in Slalom.
For the women, Golds went to Tina Weirather of Liechtenstein in Downhill, Nicole Schmidhofer of Austria in GS and Super G, and Ilka Stuhec of Slovenia in Slalom.

Biathlon
The penultimate round of the World Cup was in Oslo-Holmenkollen, Norway.
For the men, the wins went to Raphael Poiree in Individual, and Ole Einar Bjoerndalen won the Pursuit and Mass Start. Michael Greis still leads overall but Ole is coming!
For the women, Germany completely dominated the week with wins for Andrea Henkel in the Sprint, and Magdalena Neuner in Pursuit and Mass Start. Kati Wilhelm has put herself in a strong position to win the Overall again.

Cross-Country Skiing
The World Cup returned in Lahti. Virpi Kuitunen clinched the overall title with the win in the Sprint on the first day. Kristina Smigun won the 10 km Classic. Petter Northug led a Norwegian clean-sweep of the podium in the Men's Sprint. Another Norwegian, Odd-Bjoern Hjelemeset, won the 15 km Classic. Tobias Angerer continues to run away with the Overall. He could clinch it mid-week in Drammen.

Ski Jumping
The Jumpers started the Nordic Tournament with the weekend at Lahti. Austria won the Team event with Hoellwarth, Schlierenzauer, Kofler and Morgenstern. Adam Malysz won the Individual event. And with Jacobsen and Schlierenzauer outside the top 30, Malysz edges ever closer to the top 2 rookies.

Nordic Combined
Tough action also for the Nordic Combiners in Lahti. The World Cup title will go down to the wire. Bill Demong did well to win the Gundersen after a strong performance in the Ski Jumping. Bjoern Kircheisen won the Hurricane Sprint in great fashion. Overall, Hannu Manninen still leads but Moan is only 119 points behind, while Bieler is only 120 behind, when there are 200 possible points left.

Freestyle Skiing World Championships
Madonna di Campgilio hosted this years Worlds. Due to weather problems, Halfpipe was canceled. On the women's side, Gold went to Ophelie David of France in Ski Cross, Kristi Richards of Canada in Moguls, Nina Li of China in Aerials and Jennifer Heil of Canada in Dual Moguls.
For the men, the Gold medals were won by Tomas Kraus of Czech Rep. in Ski Cross, Pierre-Alexandre Rousseau of Canada in Moguls, Xiaopeng Han of China in Aerials and Dale Begg-Smith of Australia in Dual Moguls.

Curling World Junior Championships
After a week of Round Robin matches and the final rounds at Eveleth, Minnesota, the titles were decided. Denmark won Gold for the women after sneaking past Canada in the final 2 ends of the match to win 7-6. Check out on the Forum whether Sweden or Canada won Gold in the men's event.

THINGS TO WATCH THIS WEEK

Major event & World Cup Action
Alpine Skiing Finals - Lenzerheide, Switzerland - March 14-18
Biathlon Season-finale - Khanty-Mansiysk - from March 14-18 (Sprint, Pursuit and Mass Start)
Ski Jumping - Nordic Tournament - Kuopio on March 13, Lillehammer on March 16 and Holmenkollen on March 18
Cross-Country Skiing - Drammen, Norway - Sprint on March 14
Cross-Country Skiing - Holmenkollen, Norway - Long Distance Classic on March 17
Nordic Combined Season-finale - Holmenkollen, Norway - March 17-18
Nordic World Junior Championships - Tarvisio, Italy - March 12-18


There are also minor competitions (Europa Cup, American Cup, Continental Cup) to follow, which you can check out on the forum regularly.

As always, you can follow all these events and a whole lot more on the forum (discussions and news, as well).