Defago comes second in super-G
Swiss skier Didier Defago has come second in a World Cup super-G that opened a weekend of four World Cup races in the Italian Dolomites.
Werner Heel of Italy came first, benefiting from an early start number. He covered the 2.365-kilometre Saslong course in 1 minute, 35.04 seconds.
Defago crossed the line 0.43 seconds behind, and Patrik Jaerbyn of Sweden was another 0.02 seconds back in third.
The results were affected by a headwind that slowed down the later starters, including several pre-race favourites.
Switzerland’s Ambrosi Hoffmann missed out on a podium place by two-hundredths of a second and Didier Cuche came tenth.
The classic Val Gardena downhill is scheduled for Saturday before the circuit moves to nearby Alta Badia for a giant slalom on Sunday and slalom on Monday.
Elsewhere in the Alps on Friday Fabienne Suter came third in a ladies World Cup super-combined event.
Sweden’s Anja Paerson won after defending her lead from the super-G race by posting the second-best time in the slalom in St Moritz.
Austria’s Nicole Hosp had the best slalom time to finish second, 1.12 seconds behind, climbing from 17th place after the super-G. Seventeen-year-old Swiss prodigy Lara Gut came fifth overall.
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