Downhill training

Best time! Puchner ready for the medal fight

Mirjam Puchner(Bild: GEPA)

Mirjam Puchner raced to a superior best time (+0.73 seconds) in the second World Championship downhill training session in Saalbach-Hinterglemm. The woman from Salzburg thus also secured the last ticket for the downhill on Saturday. 

The next best Austrian was Stephanie Venier (+1.26) in sixth place, Ricarda Haaser (+1.61) finished twelfth and will also be competing on Saturday (11.30 am).

Cornelia Hütter (+1.63) finished directly behind her teammate in 13th place, Ariane Rädler (+2.28) had to settle for 22nd place. Puchner, Haaser and Rädler raced for two starting places, with the coaches' verdict counting as well as the running time. Hütter and Venier were seeded. "Mirjam did very well today. That's certainly good for her self-confidence, and for the rest of the team too," said women's head coach Roland Assinger.

Mirjam Puchner(Bild: GEPA pictures)

Puchner has fun with the downhill
"That's a good sign. It didn't feel so good for me, but it was okay yesterday. I like the fact that I've found my feeling again and can attack with my head. I'm really enjoying it. It hasn't been so easy in the last few weeks. Now I can come down and relax. Qualifying is never that easy," said the relieved Puchner from Salzburg.

Puchner will have to sit out the super-G on Thursday (11.30 am) due to her unconvincing World Cup results this season. "Missing a race at my home World Championships is not something anyone is happy about, it pisses me off. But the others were better, I have to accept that."

Rädler, meanwhile, will be competing in the super-G; she took the non-nomination for the downhill in her stride. "Of course I wanted to be there because I've actually always felt good in the downhill. It doesn't fit right now, it's a big disappointment. But I improved from yesterday to today, it was a different story. I have to take that with me for tomorrow."

Rädler not there despite improvement
Haaser spoke of a "super improvement", saying she had the downhill under control. "I didn't do so well at the top, but we still have a training session. I skied a few passages at almost one hundred percent, that's what I set out to do, it has to fit and be right," said Venier. "I think I skied well at the top," explained Hütter.

Stephanie Venier(Bild: GEPA)

Italy's Nicole Delago (+0.88) came third in training, Switzerland's Lara Gut-Behrami (+1.03), the fastest from the previous day, came fourth. Former world champion Lindsey Vonn was 29th, 3.13 seconds behind.