Alpine Skiers Address Sochi Safety at Hahnenkamm Races

Alpine ski racers took to the slopes at the 74th Hahnenkamm Races in Kitzbuehel, Austria with less than two weeks until the opening of the Sochi Olympics.

Traditionally one of the most anticipated and attended World Cup events, the three days of racing this past weekend served as an important tune-up for athletes headed to Sochi.

Austrian Hannes Reichelt won Saturday’s prestigious Hahnenkamm downhill in front of an estimated 50,000 fans, preventing Norwegian Aksel Lund Svindal and Bode Miller from attaining their first Kitzbuehel downhill titles.

Germany’s Felix Neureuther won the slalom under the lights Friday night while 2010 Olympic downhill gold medalist Didier Defago of Switzerland took top honors in the super-G on Sunday.

Surprisingly, as reported by AP on Monday, Reichelt has been ruled out of the Olympics due to a back injury. According to the Austrian ski federation, Reichelt underwent surgery Monday for a herniated disc, just two days after his downhill victory, and as a result had to end his season. Before Saturday’s race, the Austrian took painkillers, which eased the persistent pain.

On Sunday night in Kitzbuehel, Miller, 36, was named to his fifth U.S. Olympic team, more than any other alpine skier competing in Sochi.

Miller, who skipped last season to recover from knee surgery, has returned to form in recent weeks and could contend for 3-4 medals in Sochi.

"I’m hoping that I could put together my best skiing at the Olympics and, if I do, I definitely feel like I have the speed to win some medals," Miller said.

Retired Norwegian skier Kjetil-Andre Aamodt is the only male ski racer with more Olympic Alpine medals than Miller. Aamodt has eight to Miller’s five.

Prior to Sochi, ski racers have two more World Cup stops – a night slalom Tuesday in Schladming, Austria and a downhill and super-G next weekend in St. Moritz, Switzerland.

Athletes Discuss Security & Safety Issues in Sochi

While dramatic races and a festive atmosphere took center stage in Kitzbuehel, skiers also addressed security issues and safety concerns in Sochi that have dominated media coverage in recent days.

"I’m going to be feeling very safe up in the mountain village where we’re going to be staying," said Norwegian Kjetil Jansrud, who will be skiing at this third Olympics in Sochi. "I think they’re in control, but of course they have to take it seriously.

"The Olympic Games are supposed to be open for everyone, friendly, and with a good feeling. There’s always a threshold between keeping it tight and secure and also being open. That’s an issue, but I believe it’s going to be good."

Security concerns have grown with the Games drawing close. A pair of suicide bombers killed more than 30 people in the Russian city of Volgograd in December, and it has been speculated that "Black Widow" terrorists have infiltrated the highly protected area.

U.S. State Department officials on Friday advised American athletes against wearing their Olympic uniforms outside of the venues and secured areas in Sochi.

"It’s unfortunate that they’re having an Olympics somewhere that can be so dangerous, but I think they’ll do a great job keeping it safe in and around Sochi and I’ll feel safe there," said U.S. ski racer Jared Goldberg, 22, who was named to his first Olympic team Sunday night in Kitzbuehel.

"I was there for the test events last year and you have to go through security before going up the lift," Goldberg said referring to the Rosa Khutor base gondola in Krasnaya Polyana. "I think they’ll have a good handle on everything. It’s just unfortunate that athletes have this in the back of their heads."

In an interview Sunday with CNN’s "State of the Union," Russian Ambassador to the U.S. Sergey Kislyak said, "I’m absolutely certain we are doing everything that is needed in order to make sure it’s going to be safe, and it will be as safe as any other Olympics that can be held currently in the world.

Kislyak insisted all precautions have been taken to "ensure that there will be joyful, peaceful, and successful Olympics Games," while pushing back reports of a "black widow" threat.

Travis Ganong, 25, a U.S. skier who will make his Olympic debut in Sochi said that security warnings will not prevent a considerable number of family members from traveling to Russia to support him.

"For my parents, they wouldn’t miss it for the world so they made some sacrifices to come," Ganong said. "For my friends in Tahoe, it’s too expensive and when it comes down to logistics to get to Russia, it’s just too tough to come," added the Californian racer.

Canadian downhiller Manny Osborne-Paradis even kidded lightly about the situation in Sochi, which some have speculated has been blown up by the media.

"What am I supposed to do – not show up? I’m going to show up and put my faith in everything and that’s all I can do," said the 29-year-old Canadian racer, who will make his third Olympic appearance.

"I think that Sochi and Russia will take all precautions that they can and I’m sure our country will as well. But our jobs aren’t really to think about that.

"If I didn’t want to be put in harms way, I wouldn’t be here racing at this downhill either," joked Osborne-Paradis, referring to the treacherous Streif course which has been the scene of many nasty crashes throughout the years.

Snowfall in Krasnaya Polyana

In recent weeks, the Sochi mountain cluster venues has experienced below freezing temperatures and substantial snowfall, turning Krasnaya Polyana into a winter wonderland.

While the fresh snowfall is certainly good news, International Ski Federation race director Guenter Hujara spoke of the potential challenges of contesting ten alpine ski events, including downhill training runs, over the sixteen-day period.

"We know that weather will be a challenge and we might face similar conditions like we did in Vancouver," Hujara said.

"We have the sea close by and we have the Siberian Flats right behind the Caucasus and this can create conflict for us, but we are prepared. I’m quite confident that we will manage."

"It’s Sochi – we have no other choice," said the German race director. "We go there and we will find a way to run the races whenever possible."

Converting Hahnenkamm Victory into Olympic Gold

The Hahnenkamm downhill champion typically bears the pressure of being considered as one the favorites to also win Olympic downhill gold.

Reichelt, who withdrew from competing in Sochi on Monday due to persistent back pain, was Austria’s best hope for its first Olympic downhill gold medal since Fritz Strobl in 2002. The men’s downhill will be contested at Rosa Khutor on Feb. 9.

If Reichelt can achieve the difficult double, he will join Austrian legends Toni Sailer (1956) and Franz Klammer (1976) as the only Hahnenkamm champions who have proceeded to win the Olympic downhill in the same season as their Kitzbuehel victory.

Kitzbuehel Ski Club Develops Olympic Champions

The Kitzbuehel Ski Club has organized the renowned Hahnenkamm ski races in the historic Austrian resort dating to 1931. The primary goal of the KSC is to promote alpine skiing, freestyle skiing, cross-country skiing, ski jumping, biathlon, and snowboarding to young athletes ages 7-18.

Since its founding in 1902, members of the Kitzbuehel Ski Club have won a total of 51 Olympic and world championship medals.

Currently, with 6,600 members from 30 countries, the KSC is considered among the most famous ski clubs in the world.

Hahnenkamm Sponsors

For the 14th consecutive year, Audi is a key partner of the Hahnenkamm races in Kitzbuehel, touting the slogan ‘Home of quattro.’ Particularly this season with the Sochi Games less than two weeks away, the festive weekend of ski racing is considered the premier event of the FIS World Cup tour which Audi also remains the title sponsor of.

Other Hahnenkamm sponsors in Kitzbuehel include Generali Insurance Group, Gösser Beer, Red Bull, A1 Telekom Austria, Longines, Bridgestone Europe, Leitner Ropeways and WWP Sports Marketing.

Written by Brian Pinelli in Kitzbuehel

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Reichelt, who withdrew from competing in Sochi on Monday due to persistent back pain, was Austria’s best hope for its first Olympic downhill gold medal since Fritz Strobl in 2002. The men’s downhill will be contested at Rosa Khutor on Feb. 9.

Reichelt, who withdrew from competing in Sochi on Monday due to persistent back pain, was Austria’s best hope for its first Olympic downhill gold medal since Fritz Strobl in 2002. The men’s downhill will be contested at Rosa Khutor on Feb. 9.