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ACCIDENT

Skier Riesch suffers nasty fall during downhill training

German skier Maria Riesch, currently second in the women's World Cup overall standings, suffered a nasty fall during a training run for the downhill event at the World Ski Championships in France on Wednesday.

Published: 4 February 2009 16:32 CET
Skier Riesch suffers nasty fall during downhill training
Photo: DPA

German women’s speed coach Mathias Berthold said Riesch had brusing to the face and spine, and most likely damage to the anterior ligament of her left knee.

Slalom specialist Riesch, who was due to take part in the super-combined in Val d’isere on Friday, returned to her hotel on foot before being driven to hospital for further tests after an initial examination by German team doctor Wolfgang Vogt.

“We don’t know exactly what the consequences of her fall will be for her carrying on in competition,” said Berthold. “But I think there won’t be any problem with her taking part. A great champion must show character in these cases and know how to overcome this type of problem.”

Back on the slope, Swiss teenager Lara Gut clocked 1min 30.41sec over the 2,135-metre-long Rhone Alpes piste, which has a vertical drop of 691 metres. Briton Chemmy Alcott was initially given a time 0.20sec faster but was later disqualified.

Fancied Italian Nadia Fanchini was second fastest, with Austrian Andrea Fischbacher, bronze medallist in the women’s Super-G on Tuesday, in third and Super-G silver medallist Marie Marchand-Arvier in fourth.

All downhill racers must race at least one of the three training runs to be eligible for either the super-combined, on Friday, or Saturday’s downhill.

American Lindsey Vonn, a big favourite for the speed event especially after picking up the Super-G crown, ranked 39th out of 60 runners with a time of 1:37.71, 7.3sec off Gut’s time.

Experienced Swede Anja Paerson, who will be seeking to bounce back from her disappointment at crashing out of the Super-G, posted 1:32.81 for a 19th place. The second training run takes place on Thursday and the third and final on Saturday.

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SKIING

Snow report: What’s the latest outlook for French ski resorts this winter?

Good news for skiers in France, as a mild December has given way to a cold blast in early January that's bringing some much-needed snow.

Published: 5 January 2024 14:50 CET
Snow report: What's the latest outlook for French ski resorts this winter?

After a mostly dry and mild December, snow returned to the the Pyrenees on Friday.

Meanwhile most resorts in the Alps have been able to stay open after a promising early start to the ski season, thanks to fresh snowfalls, with more on the way this weekend.

Pyrenees

Snow has returned in the Pyrenees. Some 5cm fell overnight into Friday, January 5th in eastern parts of the mountain range, with forecasts predicting a further 15cm to 20cm to be on the ground 24 hours later. The region had not seen any snow since December 2nd.

In Angles, 20cm of snow had fallen at higher altitudes by mid-morning on Friday.

Further west, numerous resorts in the Pyrénées-Atlantiques département remained closed this week after early December snow had melted in mild conditions that have dominated France in recent weeks, but significant snowfall is expected over the weekend into Monday, and resorts are hoping that they will see enough to open.

One resort, Artouste, has been unable to offer skiing since the start of the season on December 23rd due to a lack of snow. A scenic rail service – usually reserved for warmer months – has kept the resort going. It is set to stop running on Friday, amid expectations of enough snow to finally open the slopes.

READ ALSO Climate crisis: ’90 percent’ of Europe’s ski resorts face critical snow shortages

Alps 

Many ski resorts opened on time, or even a little earlier than scheduled last month, after significant early snow fall, and have enjoyed deposits in the first days of 2024. But, even here, resort managers welcomed the promise of more significant snow this weekend.

Some resorts weren’t so fortunate. Ski areas in Gérardmer, in the Vosges, were still closed in the week leading up to Christmas because of poor snow conditions, but they are hoping for enough snow to finally get started this weekend, while La Bresse-Honeck was using ‘stocked snow’ made by using snow that fell earlier in the winter months to stay open as recently as December 30th.

In the Northern Alps, resorts such as Alpe d’Huez benefited from fresh snowfall on December 22nd, while Val d’Isère had new snow on December 29th. In the Southern Alps, Les Orres’ last pre-New Year snow was on December 8th.

And the French Alps have enjoyed more snow since the start of the year. There’s at least 50cm of fresh snow on the higher slopes of Les Gets and Morzine, for example, a significant improvement on the same time last year, when the resorts were among several that had very little snow to speak of.

In Chamonix, meanwhile, snow has fallen on eight of the last 14 days, with more expected every day between Friday and Monday.

Massif Central

As the post on X / Twitter shows, the Massif Central has not had the best of winters for snow so far. But between 30cm and 50cm is expected in Le Lioran by Monday. 

READ ALSO ‘So many barriers since Brexit’: The French ski businesses no longer willing to hire Brits

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