Snowboarder Ledecka Wins Again.. In Downhill!

Ester Ledecka of the Czech Republic won Friday’s downhill and became the first athlete to win both a World Cup alpine and snowboard event. Ester, the 2018 Olympic super-G champion, has 17 World Cup snowboard parallel slalom and giant slalom victories. Switzerland’s Lara Gut-Behrami was second, followed by countrywoman Michelle Gisin in third.

On a snow-covered day that forced the organisers a one-hour delay before racing and to start at the reserve start, with bib number 26, the Olympic snowboard and ski champion Ledecka (CZE) crossed the finish line like a missile clocking the fastest time. Corinne Suter was already looking forward to her first World Cup victory, but she had to settle with a second-place which is the third career World Cup podium for the Swiss ski star. 

This is always the case with Ester, the crazy horse who still has to choose whether to become a skier or a snowboarder, opened the speed season wearing the famous red bid after her first 2019/20 World Cup race.

After becoming the first athlete to win two Olympic gold medals in snowboard and alpine, now she also became the first one to win both a World Cup alpine and snowboard event. 

"Going to wear the red bib it's freaky, and I hope to continue like that in the next races," says Ester "I've not decided yet if I'll race in St.Moritz or Cortina D'Ampezzo and I'll probably decide it the week before. This is what I usually do, and this drives my coaches crazy!" 

The Austrian flag cannot be missing on the podium, this time with Stephanie Venier (AUT). She finished third in front of her teammate Nina Ortlieb (AUT) who ties the fourth place with Viktoria Rebensburg (GER) conquering her career-best result.  

Mikaela Shiffrin extended her overall World Cup lead to 206 points after leading the Land Rover U.S. Alpine Ski Team with a 10th place finish in the first of two downhills at Lake Louise, Alberta.

Due to snow and poor visibility, the start of the race was delayed more than an hour, and the course was shortened, starting at the reserve start. Mikaela, starting bib 6, came across the finish line third, eventually dropping in the standings as track conditions improved. On and off snowfall throughout the race presented challenging conditions for the athletes, including AJ Hurt, who took a hard fall after catching her edge in the soft snow and was airlifted off the course. 

Alice Merryweather posted a solid start to the season, finishing 21st. Alice McKennis is back, finishing 27th, and Jacqueline Wiles just missed the points in her first race back from injury, finishing 31st.

The reasons to celebrate are not over in Lake Louise, and this year,  Alpine Canada took the opportunity to commemorate the 100th Anniversary with their annual friend and family event. Their athlete's families, the ski community and future athletes, gather together to celebrate this incredible milestone.