Press Center
For Immediate Release
October 26, 2007
Media Contact:
John Dakin
(970) 949-1999
SUPER COMBINED SHOWCASES TRUE ALL-AROUND RACERS
After 25 years of World Cup ski racing with no added disciplines, the International Ski Federation (FIS) added the spectator-friendly Super Combined race to the World Cup schedule two years ago. This melding of one run of Downhill and one run of Slalom on the same day, has truly evolved into a showcase of all-around racers who are able to handle both the speed and technical aspects of the sport.
Unlike Super-G, which was created in 1982 to provide downhill specialists another opportunity to score World Cup points, the Super Combined not only tests a racer’s versatility, but also his or her stamina. With often less than two hours between the conclusion of the downhill leg and the start of the slalom segment, athletes are pushed to their max. Factor in an early season Super Combined (November 29, 2007) on a grueling hill like Beaver Creek’s Birds of Prey racecourse, and the challenges become that much greater.
A hybrid of the traditional Combined event, (which features one run of Downhill and two runs of Slalom over two days), the Super Combined was designed to be an exciting one-day competition, where the winner is determined by the lowest combined time for two runs, rather than a mathematical formula that is considered too complex for most ski racing fans. Currently, Kitzbuhel, Austria remains as the lone World-Cup site that continues to run the two-day Combined competition.
“The Super Combined is a great event for both the spectators and the racers,” explained Vail Valley Foundation President Ceil Folz. “As a racer, you have to call upon all your skiing skills in order to be successful, while as a spectator, you really get the best of both ski racing worlds. As an organizer, you also need to be on top of your game since there is a great amount of work involved in switching from downhill to slalom on the same hill with very little time in between runs.”
Entering the 2007-08 campaign, Austrian Benjamin Raich would have to be considered the king of Super Combined, having won three of the only seven events ever held. Teammates Michael Walchhofer and Mario Matt have also picked up Super Combined wins, while the remaining two victories have gone to Croatia’s Ivica Kostelic and 2006 Birds of Prey “Super Combi” champ Aksel Lund Svindal of Norway.
While still the youngster of World Cup disciplines, the Super Combined seems destined for a long and healthy lifespan, as the FIS has now fully integrated it into their World Championships scheduling. The FIS is also lobbying the International Olympic Committee to have Super Combi become a medal sport.
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