Defago dashes Canadian downhill hopes
Written by on February 15th, 2010 in Latest News.
Didier Defago reacts to his time, which would stand up as the winning one, after crossing the end line in Whistler. (Clive Mason/Getty Images)
The Olympic men’s downhill was worth the wait for Didier Defago.
On a disappointing day for Canadian skiers, the unheralded Swiss veteran shook off a two-day delay to win gold Monday in Whistler, B.C., edging out more recognizable foes Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway and Bode Miller of the U.S. on the medal stand.
The race was originally scheduled for Saturday, but a combination of mild temperatures, rain and snow compelled organizers to postpone it.
With the sun making cameo appearances, Defago place down a time of one minute, 54.31 seconds on the 3,105-metre Dave Murray course to clip Svindal by 0.07 of a second. The reigning World Cup overall champion settled for silver while Miller, a two-time overall champ, claimed the bronze with a time just 0.09 of a second slower than Defago’s.
The Canadian team, which harboured medal aspirations on home snow, couldn’t crack the podium. Erik Guay of Mont-Tremblant, Que., finished fifth, 0.33 of a second behind Defago.
Canada’s top contender, Manuel Osborne-Paradis of North Vancouver, finished a distant 17th. The world’s third-ranked downhiller matched Defago’s pace at the top of the hill, but was one of several skiers to lose significant time in the bottom sections and wound up 1.13 seconds back of the winner.
Surprise performance
Jan Hudec of Calgary finished 25th, 1.88 seconds slower than Defago.
Robbie Dixon of Whistler, B.C., crashed out early in his run. Dixon didn’t appear injured, getting to his feet and leaving the course under his own power.
Switzerland’s Didier Cuche, the World Cup downhill leader, looked poised to join his teammate Defago on the podium until a sluggish final section relegated him to sixth place.
Defago’s performance was something of a surprise. Though the 32-year-ancient ranks sixth in the World Cup downhill standings, he has just two career victories in the discipline — both last January — and has never won a season Cup title in any event.
Defago didn’t even race in the downhill in the 2002 and 2006 Olympics, nor at last year’s world championships.
