Bronze for Hoffmann in the Super G
Ambrosi Hoffmann has scooped Switzerland's second bronze in men's alpine skiing - in the Super G - at the Winter Olympics in Turin.
The race was won by the Norwegian Kjetil Andre Aamodt, who defended his title to win his eighth Olympic medal on Saturday. Second was the Austrian Hermann Maier.
Aamodt won the race – which was restarted due to bad weather conditions – in 1:30.65, with Maier 0.13 seconds behind. Hoffmann’s time was 1:30.98.
“I am exhausted but happy,” Hoffmann told Swiss public television.
He explained that it had not felt like a fast time, a fact compounded by the fact he couldn’t see his name and time on the scoreboard when he arrived at the bottom of the slope.
“Now, the competitions are finished for me,” said the 28-year-old, who hails from the winter resort of Davos. “I can really celebrate this bronze.”
Hoffmann’s medal is Switzerland’s second skiing bronze in men’s alpine skiing after Bruno Kernen clinched third place in the downhill competition last Sunday. Hoffman finished in 17th place in that race.
Switzerland already has a medal in women’s alpine skiing, after Martina Schild unexpectedly won silver in the women’s downhill event last Wednesday.
Restart
Saturday’s Super G in Sestriere had to be restarted after 17 racers had set out in deteriorating conditions earlier in the morning.
Team chiefs protested as skiers struggled in heavy falling snow and poor visibility. The race was started again in brighter weather in the afternoon.
With his win, the 34-year-old veteran Aamodt becomes the most successful Olympic alpine skier.
The Norwegian was unable to defend his Olympic combined title after hurting his knee in the downhill.
For Hoffmann, the Super G bronze is the peak of his skiing career. He endured a difficult start, even being relegated from the top competition World Cup to the lesser European Cup during the 2000-2001 season.
However, in March 2002 he picked himself up to clinch a second place in the World Cup downhill race and has been consistently among the top ten over the past five years.
Switzerland now has a total of seven medals from the Winter Olympics.
swissinfo with agencies
Hoffmann’s best results:
Bronze in the Winter Olympics in Turin.
2nd place in a World Cup downhill event in 2002. Two 3rd places in World Cup downhill races in 2004 and 2005.
3rd place in a World Cup Super-G in 2005.
8th place in the overall standings of the World Cup downhill discipline in 2004.
8th place in the downhill event at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City.
Men’s Super G results:
1. Kjetil Andre Aamodt (Norway) 1:30.65
2. Hermann Maier (Austria) 1:30.78
3. Ambrosi Hoffmann (Switzerland) 1:30.98
Further placings for Swiss skiers:
12. Didier Cuche
16. Didier Défago
18. Bruno Kernen
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