Tuesday, December 6, 2005

Australia's alpine skiers have taken further steps toward Olympic selection over the weekend, Luke Deane, Craig Branch and Brad Wall all registering top 60 per cent of field placings in World Cup races in the Colorado resort of Beaver Creek.

Deane led the way in the opening super G of the four event series, skiing to his first top 30 World Cup place with a 29th. The New South Wales racer covered the Birds of Prey course in a time of one minute 20.32 seconds, 2.99 seconds behind the winner, Hannes Reichelt of Austria.

Fellow NSW skier Craig Branch was three places further back in 32nd spot, also a career best for him.

Both results made it under the Australian Olympic qualifying mark of top 60 per cent of field, and both now need just one more top 60 to make the team.

In the Beaver Creek downhill, Craig Branch produced his first sub-40th place result, finishing in 34th position, just 2.19 seconds behind race winner Daron Rahlves of the United States. AJ Bear unfortunately failed to finish.

Branch's result cruelly missed a top 60 per cent rating, at 60.71 per cent, but was a third tier 80 per cent return.

In the technical disciplines on the weekend, Deane was the best of the Australians in the giant slalom, placing 50th in the first run, 4.54 seconds behind first run leader and eventual winner Bode Miller of the United States.

Deane's result was a top 80 per cent result, again a third tier qualifier, giving him two of the three that could get him to the Games.

In the final slalom race of the meet, Brad Wall - who had failed to finish the first run of the giant slalom - got his first top 60 per cent qualifying result, finishing in 41st place in the first run. Slalom specialist Jono Brauer failed to finish the first run.

Giorgio Rocca took the gold in a good sign for the Italian fans at Torino 2006.

The Australian team now heads to Europe for further World Cup races.





Luke Deane in Action


Courtesy of OWI/Sportcom