Women Skier Racing In Aspen
The skiing World Cup race course set on Aspen Mountain real estate is in great condition this year. This is one of the finest conditions I can remember in my 36 years of living here.
Aspen chief of course Pat Callahan also agrees.
“This year it is a hard surface, but it is not icy like it was a year ago,” he said. “It’s grippy, it’s firm. This is exactly how we wanted it.”
The famous Olympian Lindsay Vonn was training on the Aspen course last week and also agreed.
“It was great,” according to Vonn. “The snow was in great condition. They’ve worked really hard to make it a good surface, but not icy. I think they’ve really done a great job this year.”
You may remember last years race when Vonn hit a rock and slid during the slalom race.
“It’s essentially like pond ice,” Vonn said after last year’s slalom. “It’s like ice skating, and it becomes — it’s not ski racing anymore.”
Last year the Aspen real estate was very icy since the course had to be watered down due to a lack of snow.
This year mother nature cooperated with us.
Of course then you get the challenge that comes with too much snow as we had this year. The snowcats actually had to push snow off of the Aspen real estate.
The Aspen GS course is very challenging even in the best of conditions.
“What sets Aspen apart from the other World Cups is just the terrain,” Vonn said. “It’s just an unforgiving hill and you have to be able to attack from the top to the bottom.”
Lindsey Vonn was keeping her role as a potential podium winner very low key. She just wants to achieve points to stay high in the world cup rankings.
Maria Riesch is the skier who is now in first place after two races.
“My skiing is there, but I want to take it step by step,” Vonn said. “I’m gonna try to get a top 10 or a top five and if I have a good first run and I’m in a good position, then I’ll definitely try for a podium, but I’m just going to play it by ear and do the best I can.”
This year will include sixty five racers. The best thirty will get to race a second time. The racer with the best combined time wins.
There is $100,000 available for the top racers. This is for the best ten racers.