“Wonderful feeling,” stated Kilde, who’s relationship U.S. snowboarding star Mikaela Shiffrin. “Simply unimaginable.”
BEAVER CREEK, Colo. — Aleksander Aamodt Kilde of Norway gained a World Cup super-G race Friday lower than a 12 months after tearing a ligament in his proper knee.
Kilde completed a tough and technical Birds of Prey course in 1 minute, 10.26 seconds to edge Marco Odermatt — the super-G winner the day earlier than — by a scant 0.03 seconds. American Travis Ganong wound up third with a quick early run — he was second to go — that held as much as earn his first World Cup super-G podium end.
The 29-year-old Kilde joins Bjarne Solbakken (2003) and Aksel Lund Svindal (2008) as the one Norwegian racers to seize a World Cup super-G occasion in Beaver Creek.
This was Kilde’s third race again since tearing his ACL throughout a crash final January. He stated this victory validates that he’s on the suitable path with the Beijing Olympics two months away.
“Wonderful feeling,” stated Kilde, who’s relationship U.S. snowboarding star Mikaela Shiffrin. “Simply unimaginable.”
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Kilde added this was a “bittersweet day” with teammate and good pal Kjetil Jansrud hurting his shoulder and knee when he slid into the fencing after falling. Jansrud was in a position to ski down the hill and congratulate Kilde earlier than leaving the venue.
“Hopefully, he’s doing OK, however we’ll see,” stated Kilde, the 2019/20 total World Cup champion. “He’s an excellent pal of mine, and I assist him in something.”
Ganong turned the primary American to earn a spot on a super-G podium at Beaver Creek since Ted Ligety (second) and Andrew Weibrecht (third) in 2015. Ligety was a part of the published crew for the race Friday.
The 33-year-old Ganong stated beginning early helped him even when he didn’t have a course report.
“I really love going early as a result of I can type of flip my mind off,” Ganong stated. “That’s extra when I’ve these particular runs … after I’m like extra relaxed and simply performing.”
There can be a pair of downhill races on the Birds of Prey course Saturday and Sunday.
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