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≡ STAT BLITZ ≡
The normal weekend winter-sport competition schedule spilled over into Tuesday, but ended with more American medals in another amazing show from U.S. stars. Here’s the weekend-plus medal recap:
Alpine Skiing: FIS World Cup in St. Moritz (SUI)
● Women/Downhill I ~ Gold: Lindsey Vonn
● Women/Downhill II ~ Silver: Lindsey Vonn
At 41, Vonn dominated the first Downhill in St. Moritz, winning her 83rd career World Cup gold in her 409th start, and she was thrilled:
“The win means so much to me. I knew in the summer I was on the right path, and all the hard work has paid off. … Systematically, every single thing I could do to be faster, I did. I knew I was skiing fast, but you never know until the first race, and it was a little faster than I expected.”
She is the oldest skier, man or woman, to ever win a World Cup race. Wow. More on what this win may mean for Milan Cortina here.
Alpine Skiing: FIS World Cup in Courchevel (FRA)
● Women/Slalom ~ Gold: Mikaela Shiffrin
The Tuesday Slalom was Shiffrin’s fourth win in a row in the event this season, and no. 105 for the all-time World Cup wins leader. She said afterwards:
“I am not asking questions. I don’t know, sometimes you just have to take it and roll with it. Right now, tonight – don’t ask questions, just ride the wave.”
Bobsled & Skeleton: IBSF World Cup in Lillehammer (NOR)
● Skeleton/Mixed Team ~ Silver: Mystique Ro and Austin Florian
Freestyle Skiing: FIS World Cup in Steamboat, Colorado
● Men/Big Air ~ Gold: Troy Podmilsak
● Men/Big Air ~ Silver: Konnor Ralph
This was Podmilsak’s second win this season, and the 2023 World Champion leads the seasonal standings with one more competition remaining, in March.
Freestyle Skiing: FIS World Cup in Secret Garden (CHN)
● Men/Halfpipe ~ Bronze: Hunter Hess
Ice Hockey: Rivalry Series
● 06 Nov. in Cleveland: U.S. 4, Canada 1
● 08 Nov. in Buffalo: U.S. 6, Canada 1
● 10 Dec. in Edmonton: U.S. 10, Canada 4
● 13 Dec. in Edmonton: U.S. 4, Canada 1
There’s no gold medal here, but a very honorable mention for the U.S. women, who swept the Rivalry Series with Canada for the first time ever – for either side – in the seventh edition, with a combined score of 24-7.
However, U.S. defender Laila Edwards noted after the sweep was completed, “This definitely gives us confidence. But I wouldn’t mistake it with satisfaction. We know nothing is going to be easy come February.”
Luge: FIL World Cup in Park City, Utah
● Men/Doubles ~ Silver: Zach DiGregorio and Sean Hollander
● Women/Singles ~ Gold: Summer Britcher
● Women/Singles ~ Bronze: Ashley Farquharson
● Team Relay ~ Bronze: Britcher, DiGregorio-Hollander, Jonny Gustafson, Chevonne Forgan-Sophia Kirkby
Britcher won for the first time since 2018, with Farquharson getting her first career World Cup medal. Said the winner, “I feel so good. It’s been quite a while since I’ve stood on top of the podium, so I can’t even describe it; it’s just incredible! And to do it here with my family and to share the podium with Ashley, the only thing better than getting a podium is sharing the podium with a teammate.”
Snowboard: FIS World Cup in Secret Garden (CHN)
● Men/Big Air ~ Bronze: Oliver Martin
Speed Skating: ISU World Cup in Hamar (NOR)
● Men/500 m I ~ Gold: Jordan Stolz
● Men/500 m II ~ Gold: Jordan Stolz
● Men/1,000 m ~ Gold: Jordan Stolz
● Men/1,500 m ~ Gold: Jordan Stolz
● Men/Mass Start ~ Gold: Jordan Stolz
● Men/Team Pursuit ~ Gold: Casey Dawson, Emery Lehman, Ethan Cepuran
● Women/Team Pursuit ~ Silver: Brittany Bowe, Mia Manganello, Giorgia Birkeland
Stolz was unreal, not just winning the 500-1,000-1,500 m events he used to, but the Mass Start as well. He explained why he started sprinting with two laps left:
“I was falling behind Metodej Jílek [CZE], and I don’t think everybody thought that I’d be able to get a little gap on them, but I just attacked at two laps to go. It was a little bit of a risk, but it worked.
“I saw the opportunity. I had nothing to lose anyway. I thought, if I attack here and I get caught, at least I tried.”
The U.S. men’s Team Pursuit squad clinched a fifth straight World Cup seasonal trophy, and now have their eyes on the Winter Games.
To review, that’s 19 Team USA total medals for the weekend-plus, of which 10 were gold and half of those won by Stolz! There’s another heavy week coming in winter sport this weekend, then slowing to almost nothing during the Xmas week.
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