Vincent Kriechmayr, representing Austria, showcased exceptional skill by navigating the challenging conditions to secure victory in a World Cup super-G event on Friday at Beaver Creek, Colorado. The competition was prematurely ended after 31 racers due to strong winds affecting the course.
Kriechmayr completed the demanding Birds of Prey course in a swift 1 minute, 6.77 seconds, narrowly beating Norwegian contender Fredrik Moeller by 0.56 seconds. His Austrian compatriot, Raphael Haaser, clinched the third spot in the race.
Toronto’s James Crawford emerged as the top Canadian finisher, claiming the seventh position and trailing the leader by 1.30 seconds.
Swiss racer Franjo von Allmen experienced a harrowing crash during his run as the 14th competitor, but managed to regain his footing. Following his mishap, adverse weather conditions led to a temporary course hold, ultimately resulting in the cancellation of the race with Brazilian skier Lucas Pinheiro Braathen waiting at the start gate.
Kriechmayr commented on the challenging conditions, expressing concern for the fairness of the competition post the interruptions caused by the crash and varying weather conditions. Despite the attempts to resume the race, no racers after the initial delay could break into the top 10 positions.
Notably, Marco Odermatt, the standout Swiss skier who triumphed in the previous super-G event at Copper Mountain, struggled in the subdued lighting conditions, finishing in fifth place, 1.23 seconds behind Kriechmayr.
With this win, Kriechmayr secured his 19th World Cup victory and his 24th podium finish in the super-G discipline, tying him with Stephan Eberharter for the second-most podium finishes among Austrian men in super-G events.
The top American performers were River Radamus in 12th place and Ryan Cochran-Siegle finishing in 13th position, following his second-place finish in the downhill event the day before.
The events at Beaver Creek will culminate with a giant slalom race. Live coverage can be streamed on CBCSports.ca and CBC Gem on Sunday at 12 p.m. ET.