Successful Training Run at Cervino, Italy, Raises Hope That the Women’s FIS Alpine World Cup Downhill Race Will Go Ahead

After the men’s downhill race as well as two of three men’s training runs at Matterhorn Ski Paradise at the Swiss/Italian border were canceled, everyone was starting to worry about the women’s races scheduled for this week. The International Ski & Snowboard Federation (‘FIS’) has been trying to get the first-ever cross-border race off the ground unsuccessfully for the last two seasons. Last year the race had to be canceled due to a lack of snow. This year ironically it was too much snow and especially strong gusts of wind that forced a cancelation of the race on the Gran Becca course.

Yesterday’s training run for the women’s speed specialists was canceled, however today the training run took off without a hitch, much to everyone’s relief. Meteorologists had first forecasted more snow and wind for this week, but the forecast changed later this week and there is a good chance now that the women’s race will be able to go ahead as scheduled.

Unfortunately the premier on the Gran Becca course will not technically be a cross-border race, as the women’s course will not start in Switzerland but in Italy and also finish in Italy. The women’s start had initially been planned to be above the Matterhorn Sprung (Matterhorn Jump) in Switzerland, but for safety reasons had to be moved lower down to 3,505 meters (11,499 feet) in altitude. The women’s Gran Becca course is 2,910 meters (11,457 feet) long and has a difference in altitude of 665 meters (2,182 feet) and will be entirely in Italy now. This change was made on request by the local canton for safety reasons. The name Gran Becca means ‘the great peak’ in the local Italian dialect, referencing, of course, the iconic Matterhorn.

The FIS Alpine World Cup Downhill races are scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, November 18 and 19, 2023, both starting at 11:45 a.m. local time. The race can be watched on Peacock in the U.S. If you are in Australia, races are free to air via the Snow Australia website. In Europe, races will be covered by Eurosport as well as national state channels, such as SRF, ZDF, and RTI.

Skiing for Team USA this weekend will be Breezy Johnson, Isabella Wright, and Jacqueline Wiles. Breezy Johnson put down a great training run, coming 13th overall. The Austrians were particularly strong in training, holding a total of almost half of the top 15 spots.

Results from today’s training run (top 30):

1. Christina Ager (AUT)
2. Emily Schopf (AUT)
3. Kira Weidle (GER)
4. Christine Scheyer (AUT)
5. Corinne Suter (SUI)
6. Sofia Goggia (ITA)
7. Emma Aicher (GER)
8. Ariane Raedler (AUT)
9. Nicol Delango (ITA)
10. Kajsa Vickhoff Lie (NOR)
11. Michelle Gisin (SUI)
12. Lena Wechner (AUT)
13. Breezy Johnson (USA)
14. Nina Ortlieb (AUT)
15. Magdalena Egger (AUT)
16. Federica Brignone (ITA)
17. Della Durrer (SUI)
18. Michelle Niederwieser (AUT)
19. Vicky Bernardi (ITA)
20. Vanessa Nussbaumer (AUT)
21. Ester Ledecka (CZE)
22. Teresa Runggaldier (ITA)
23. Karen Smadja Clement (FRA)
24. Stepahnie Venier (AUT)
25. Mirjam Puchner (AUT)
26. Esliabeth Reisinger (AUT)
27. Laura Pirovano (ITA)
28. Anna Schilcher (AUT)
29. Nadia Delago (ITA)
30. Joana Dolmen (SUI)

With snow in the forecast for tomorrow, there is a chance there will not be a training run tomorrow, but hopefully, the races on Saturday on Sunday will go ahead.