Emily Brydon, of Fernie, finished fifth as the ladies FIS Alpine World Cup completed just its second downhill event of the 2008/09 season.
Brydon finished the Weltcupstrecke Zauchensee piste in a time of one minute 48.23 seconds.
“If I can keep in the top 5 I have to think that’s a strong performance,” said Brydon, who was seventh in Lake Louise at the only other DH this season. (There have been two super combined events, which combine one downhill with a slalom.)
Brydon, currently seventh in the ladies overall DH standings, has been in the top 10 in five of six World Cup races she has participated this season.
Britt Janyk (Whistler, BC) finished 11th today with Kelly VanderBeek (Kitchener, ON), who had the fastest opening training time on Thursday, placing 19th.
“We are a solid team, any one of us can be on the podium. Last year was really special, having a podium every weekend. You always strive for that but it’s not necessarily going to happen. I think we still have the same attitude, we have the same momentum and it’s just a matter of time before we are back on the podium,” said Brydon, comparing last season’s team to this season’s.
Sweden’s Anja Paerson will share the 40th World Cup victory of her career with Dominique Gisin of Switzerland as both finished today with a winning time of one minute 47.52 seconds. American Lindsey Vonn was third.
Emilie Desforges (Montréal, QC) finished 52nd. Larisa Yurkiw (Owen Sound, ON), who opened some eyes in Europe this week to her bright future with the fastest time in yesterday’s downhill portion of the super combined, did not finish a wild ride today. Yurkiw was third fastest in two of the first three split times but lost some control on a jump known as “Hot Air” and eventually left the course seconds later.
“(My style) is a little aggressive,” Yurkiw explained to reporters in the finish. “But I think we are all pushing our hardest. I tested the boundaries of the line today but that’s racing. I don’t want to ski safe and come down with an okay time, I want to push it.”
The ladies World Cup continues next week with two downhill’s, a super G and a giant slalom in Cortina d’Ampezzo, ITA next week. Rogers Sportsnet is scheduled to televise races both Friday and Sunday.
