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By driving number 17 in the replacement race for Lauberhorn’s canceled downhill race, not only the viewers caught their breath, but also the leader Beat Feuz who was waiting at the finish line. The Swiss had to watch his compatriot Kryenbühl hit the tough track backwards on the tough incline while jumping at over 140 km / h and sliding unconscious towards the finish line. The 26-year-old regained consciousness shortly thereafter and was approachable, but after a long period of first aid he was immediately taken to the hospital by helicopter.
According to a first diagnosis reported by the Swiss Association on the short message service Twitter, Kryenbühl suffered serious injuries in his fall, as was feared, but his spine was apparently spared from serious injuries. According to Swiss Ski, the 26-year-old suffered a concussion, a fractured right clavicle and a tear in the cruciate and internal ligament of his right knee.
Cochran-Siegle, who won the Super-G in Bormio this winter before the turn of the year, fell on his back on the trek to the local mountain and was thrown into the safety net upper body first. Due to the force of the impact, the limit broke from its anchor. The 28-year-old, who was complaining of shoulder pain, was also airlifted, standard procedure on the Streif. According to the American association, Cochran-Siegle suffered a slight cervical vertebra fracture, in addition to being well. However, Cochron-Siegle will skip downhill on Saturday and Super-G on Sunday.
Long series of fatal falls
Kryenbühl’s fall was just one of a series of fatal drops on the treacherous target jump. Swiss Daniel Albrecht hit his back and neck so hard in the last training session of 2009 that he was in artificial deep sleep for more than three weeks due to a traumatic brain injury. Albrecht never really recovered from the fall. A return attempt failed 22 months after the serious fall. A year before Albrecht, American Scott McCartney was similarly excavated from the same site.
From a driver’s point of view, things shouldn’t have gone that far this year. Because even before the Kryenbühl accident there was a moment of shock in the last training session on Thursday. Frenchman Johan Clarey twisted in midair during his long flight and was then ruthlessly thrown over the security fences. Unlike Kryenbühl, the 40-year-old came out with bruises and even finished fourth in the race on Friday.
Feuz wins Kitz’s turbulent descent
Swiss Beat Feuz won the first downhill on Friday at the turbulent Hahnenkamm Races start in Kitzbühel, which was overshadowed by two serious crashes.
“A theme for three days”
“The target jump has been a problem for three days. It just goes too far ”, so the winner Feuz was upset in the ORF interview because the organizers did not react enough to the advice of the drivers. “I also sailed 60, 70 meters. That doesn’t have to be and shouldn’t be, ”said the 33-year-old, who had already had extreme air levels during the Seidlalm jump in the middle section. “I had a good view of the terrace,” says Feuz.
The veteran criticized the fact that after the problems in training there was not enough reaction. “The fact that athletes don’t go to the target jump with the deepest crouch during training is also nothing new. And on race day the deep squat was unpacked. 148 I think the top speed is very fast after two minutes. If a jump then goes slightly uphill, it immediately becomes dangerous, ”Feuz said.
Matthias Mayer, who was relegated to second place by 16 hundredths by Feuz, was right along the same lines. “I don’t think it’s okay that they didn’t make the target jump lower. Although yesterday all the riders spoke in favor, ”said Carinthian, who, like Feuz, spoke in favor of deactivating the jump by adding compression at the front. The organizers reacted to the criticism and on Friday night they eliminated the destination jump with a machine.
FIS regrets the fall
Emmanuel Couder and Hannes Trinkl, who as a duo represent the coronavirus-infected Markus Waldner as chief director of the International Ski Federation (FIS) at Hahnenkamm races, lamented the serious drop. “We know that the route can change from one day to the next. We modified the work, but the wind came, the speed was extremely high, much higher than in the past, ”Couder said. “I am very sorry. That is exactly what we do not want on the descent. We will try everything to have safe races in the next few days,” said Trinkl.
The debate over the last key point of the world’s most dangerous descent is not new. Target jump at maximum speed, which is underestimated by many, is repeatedly criticized. Friday’s winner, Feuz, said the jump should at least remain part of the legendary mousetrap, steep incline and local mountain edge route. “A destination jump is part of that, but it doesn’t have to be 60 meters wide and above all so high,” said the Swiss.
Spanking is fine
Apart from the falls, the race was chaotic. A tailwind at the traverse, which was partly coming in gusts, forced the race management to make more interruptions. Only after about three hours had 30 riders started and Feuz’s first victory was officially included in the classification. The Swiss therefore especially thanked ÖSV President Peter Schröcksnadel, who, according to Feuz, was the driving force behind the continuation. In the end, however, everyone in charge had to be happy that no other athlete fell as he tried to get through the race with increasingly poor visibility.
The classic Hahnenkamm race (11.30am, live on ORF1) is now on Saturday’s program. The 2020 Hahnenkamm races will conclude with a Super-G on Sunday (10:20 am). Drivers must adapt to the new conditions. Because snow is the order of the day in the Kitzbühel area. Regardless of how the track and the destination jump appear, the same motto always applies at the Streif, according to Olympic champion Mayer: “You have to be very focused. Today you saw how fast it can go, ”said the 30-year-old at ORF.
