If the Downhill Course Is Soft, It Might Be Harder on Austrians

The Alpine battle cry for the United States--”Kitt, Moe and pray for snow” did not go unheeded.

Saturday morning, just as the men’s Olympic downhill podium was being conceded to the Austrians, a brisk winter storm blanketed the Happo’one course with a few inches of fresh powder--the bane of European hard-pack lovers.

Until then, Sunday’s Olympic downhill--the race is scheduled for a 5:15 start Saturday night on the West Coast--figured to be an Austrian waltz featuring Maier, Trinkle and Schifferer.

The event had been setting up perfectly for the Austrians, who thrive on the rock-hard course conditions all-too prevalent on the snow-starved European World Cup circuit.

The Austrians love bedrock--ice patches mixed with hardening chemicals and hay. U.S. men’s coach Bill Egan says the mixture is almost potent enough to topple cattle.

Egan was initially encouraged by the Nagano downhill course, which had received several feet of snow in recent weeks.

“It’s great,” Egan said upon arrival. “In Europe, it doesn’t snow. Our guys are used to snow. That can be good for us.”

It would not have been a shock had the Austrians swept the event with any combination of Hermann Maier, Hannes Trinkle and Andreas Schifferer.

Now, there is at least some intrigue. Course workers labored furiously to pack the new snow for Saturday’s final training run, which was delayed two hours.

The course could still freeze again overnight, giving the Austrians the fast track they want.

But, if the snow remains soft, it will affect all the Austrians but Maier, who has been brilliant on all course types.

Maier is dominating the World Cup overall circuit and has been dubbed “the Herminator” for his exploits. He is a gold-medal threat in three events--downhill, super-giant slalom and giant slalom, and is a longshot contender in slalom.

Maier has won nine races in four disciplines on the World Cup and knows he is the man to beat.

“Sure, I am a little nervous,” the 25-year-old former bricklayer said.

He is one of these Games’ intriguing stories, having been shunned by the Austrian team for years before breaking through this season at a rather advanced age for a ski racer.

The U.S. needed help from the weather and can only hope the late-hour snowfall might slow the track and allow Tommy Moe, the defending champion; AJ Kitt, Kyle Rassmusen and Jason Rosener at least a puncher’s chance.

Moe, who had mediocre training runs Thursday and Friday, says he’ll hold nothing back in defending his title, but realistically his chances of a Lillehammer repeat are not good.

“If I skied a top-10 here, I’d be happy,” he said.

The good news for the rest of the world is that Austria can enter only four racers in the downhill when, in fact, seven of their skiers are capable of winning medals in the event.

Moe and the competition should move up several spots just by default, given that several of the Austrians who normally finish among the top 20 in World Cup downhills won’t be in the Olympic race.