Emily Brydon of Fernie, BC continues to put down consistent super combined results, finishing a solid ninth in today’s FIS Alpine World Cup SC in Altenmarkt-Zauchensee, AUT. Brydon’s performance was overshadowed somewhat by teammate Larisa Yurkiw (Owen Sound, ON), who stunned the field by posting the fastest time in today’s opening downhill run.
Yurkiw, who has been in the top 30 in a World Cup twice in her young racing career, finished the downhill in one minute 47.66 to post the fastest time.
“It was the same as I had skied before, it just all worked out in this run,” said Yurkiw, 20, about her DH run. “It’s never really been that far away. I really didn’t know that today was ‘going to happen’ so soon but by no means is the work done. Today I have made a huge jump, in confidence, in my start position, in everything. I am hoping for a lot more though, real soon.”
Yurkiw, who made her World Cup debut in Altenmarkt-Zauchensee almost two years to the day, straddled a gate early in her slalom run to end up 38th in the super combined. She admitted nerves were a factor in her second run.
“I was a mess,” Yurkiw admitted. “But I got some good advice from my teammates; they told me to just enjoy it. But I was really nervous. That’s what happens. I still get the points in the downhill so all in all it’s a pretty big jump.”
Yurkiw started with the 47th bib but today’s result will affect her FIS points, which are used to determine start order.
Brydon was impressed with Yurkiw’s performance.
“It’s definitely one of those ‘first’s’ in her career. It’s something you always dream about. That’s an experience in itself, learning to deal with that pressure and the expectations,” Brydon said.
“What a great experience and what a great achievement. She needs to remember this and build from there. It just shows the talent that she has. She is the next generation,” she added.
Brydon had the seventh best downhill run and followed that with the 13th fastest slalom.
“I have been struggling in the training runs (this week) so I was happy with this performance in the downhill. I am right in there with the best of them,” said Brydon, who was ninth in the super combined in St. Moritz earlier this season.
“My slalom was good. It was a fair race, a lot of fun. So I am happy with it,” she added.
American Lindsay Vonn won in a two-run time of 2:40.53, edging out Austria’s Kathrin Zettel by 0.3s with Sweden’s Anja’s Paerson third.
Emilie Desforges (Montréal, QC) finished 36th. Britt Janyk (Whistler, BC) competing in the downhill only today in order to train for tomorrow’s DH race, was 31st in the opening run.
The FIS Alpine World Cup in Altenmarkt-Zauchensee concludes Saturday with a downhill.
