Article courtesy of Snow Australia

The 47th FIS Alpine Ski World Championships start on Monday with a small but determined Australian contingent ready to hit the French resorts of Courchevel and Meribel.

Triple-Olympian Greta Small will start her campaign on day one in the alpine combined event, and race the speed events over the course of the opening week.

Going into her fifth World Championships, the 27-year-old has lost none of her passion despite first racing the event as a teenager.

“It has given me a chance to reflect on what I’ve achieved,” said Small. “Going to my first World Championships at just 17 years old and now, ten years later I’m still here chasing my dreams.

“I remember how excited and proud I was to race in Schladming 2013, and I’m going to bring that same energy into Meribel 2023.”

Going into his third World Championships, Harry Laidlaw will be looking to continue the form he has shown already this season.

Currently ranked inside the top five on the Europa Cup standings, Laidlaw is knocking on the door of World Cup points having missed the top 30 by just 0.21s in Schladming last week.

Joining Laidlaw in the men’s technical races is Beijing Olympian Louis Muhlen-Shulte who has also earned some encouraging results on the highly-competitive slalom World Cup circuit.

“This is my first World Championships, so I am very excited about that,” said the 24-year-old. “I have made a lot of changes and progress in my slalom skiing and I am sorting out a few things on the GS side.

“I feel that competing in Beijing at the Olympics in 2022 definitely gives me more experience to draw from, as well as all the World Cup events I have competed in this season.

“I am constantly gaining more knowledge and a better understanding of how to do my best on any given day.”
The FIS Alpine World Championships run from Monday 6 to Sunday 19 February. Predominantly, the women’s events will be held in Meribel and the men’s at Courchevel, with both venues sharing the parallel events.

Click here for the World Championships schedule and results

Download the FIS App for live timing throughout the event

Australian alpine skiers Greta Small and Louis Muhlen-Schulte have competed in World Cup events over the weekend with Small in action in Cortina d' Amprezzo, Italy, and Muhlen-Schulte at the iconic Kitzbuhel event in Austria.

NSWIS skier Small took part in three speed events in Cortina, finishing in 46th place in the first downhill event, a seasons best 37th in the second downhill, and 46th in the super-g.

In front of a huge crowd in Kitzbuhel, Muhlen-Schulte finished in 43rd place in the first run of the slalom.

Muhlen-Schulte will now compete in Schladming, Austria, in the World Cup slalom event on January 24.

Harry Laidlaw produced a pair of extremely impressive European Cup giant slalom results last week in Zinal, Austria.

The 2018 Olympian narrowly missed the podium on both days, finishing in fifth place on day one, and improved one spot higher to finish fourth on day two, just 0.5 second behind third place, giving Laidlaw his third top-10 European Cup performance for the month.

Laidlaw is currently at the World Cup in Alta Badia, Italy, for a double giant slalom event. In the first event overnight, he did not finish his first run, and will be looking to improve in the second event which will take place tonight.

Louis Muhlen-Schulte also competed in the Zinal giant slalom races, with his best result being a 25th place finish on day two. The 2022 Olympian also competed in the Italian National Championships Slalom event overnight, finishing in eighth. Muhlen-Schulte will compete in the World Cup slalom event in Madonna di Campiglio, Italy, on December 22.

Greta Small was in action in Switzerland competing in the women's speed events at St Moritz. The three-time Olympian had her best performance in the second downhill, finishing in 45th place.

Last weekend saw the return to action for Australia’s top alpine skiers who were competing in World Cup and Europa Cup events in Canada and Europe, respectively.

In cold and icy conditions, Lake Louise (CAN) hosted three women's speed events, with three time Olympian Greta Small competing in two downhill and one super-g.

The weekend was dominated by downhill queen Sofia Goggia of Italy, who scored back-to-back downhill wins, and Suisse skier Corinne Suter, winner of the super-g and twice on the podium in the downhills. Small finished twice in top-40, finishing 40th and 42nd in the two downhill events, and 39th in the super-g.

In Gurgl, Austria, Harry Laidlaw and Louis Muhlen-Schulte were in the starting gate of two Europa Cup giant slalom races, as they continue their preparation ahead of the World Cup events in Val d'Isere, France, later in the month.

Laidlaw finished in the top-ten in the first of the two giant slaloms, just 0.27 from a podium position, scoring 26 Cup points, while Muhlen finished in 33rd position. The second giant slalom event was unlucky for the two Aussies skiers, with both registering DNF results in the first run.

Laidlaw and Muhlen-Schulte will travel to Val d'Isere next, where two technical races are scheduled for the 10-11 December. Laidlaw will compete in the giant slalom, while Muhlen will focus on the slalom.

Article courtesy: Snow Australia

Greta Small has finished her Beijing 2022 Olympic Winter Games campaign on a high after achieving her best ever alpine combined result in Olympic competition.

In recording her Olympic Personal Best finish (13th), it is also Australia's third-best ever result in the Olympic alpine combined event and our best in 20 years.

The event involved racers taking two runs in a single day, one downhill and one slalom, where the final times were combined to determine the overall result.

Taking place on the speed and technical courses at the Yanqing National Alpine Skiing Centre, ‘the Rock' and ‘the Ice River' respectively proved to be a challenge too much for even the most experienced competitors. There were 11 of the 26 racers that could not complete both courses.

After mixed results in her previous events, Greta has done herself proud.

"I tried to go for it up the top [of the course]. It's snowing here and super flat light which makes it really challenging," she said.

"It might look like snow but it's basically like skiing down an ice rink. Every turn down the last pitch I felt like I was just going to fall so I was just fighting to keep up and make it to the finish.

"It might not have been pretty but you know Mikaela Shiffrin, the world's best, went out on the first eight gates so that just shows you how tough it is out there."

Many would expect that after the Games Greta had earned a rest, a break from competition and maybe even a trip back home to recuperate and recharge. But that was far from her mind, with her performance at the Games making her determined and ready to race.

"I'm on a plane straight back to Switzerland, we have a World Cup event next weekend where I'll be straight back on downhill skis.

A proud Porepunkah woman, Greta keeps her family and fans close. Right after she tackled the harshest of conditions in Beijing she made a point of thanking her family, friends and fans from her small country town as she departed the competition.

Having come to the end of her third Olympics, Greta made it clear where her mind is at about her performance, her mum and future in the sport.

"My mum said she is proud," she laughed.

"I'm definitely not satisfied with that slalom, I know I can ski so much better than that. 13th place, I'm stoked, that's my best ever result, but I'm still hungry for more.

"I know I've got a lot more to give in me and this is not the end. It's not that last you have seen of Greta Small that's for sure."

olympics.com.au
Shannon Knaus

Taking to the speed course at the Yanqing National Alpine Skiing Centre for the women's super-g, Greta Small put together an outstanding performance to finish 31st.

Having overcome five knee surgeries and three ACL injuries to qualify for the Beijing Winter Games, Greta remained composed to reach high speeds over 100km per hour with accuracy and control.

It was a fantastic effort from Greta, with few errors through the steepest sections of the course, equalling her best Olympic super-g performance from PyeongChang 2018.

"It was a super fun hill to ski." Greta said.

"The venue is awesome, the snow is incredible. I didn't quite execute where I planned to, I didn't quite push on the technical turns or really execute those to carry the speed down the bottom.

"So [I'm] a bit disappointed with that, but definitely some lessons to learn in there for the hill and to push in the downhill [track event] coming up.

"Compared to the World Cup it was just a quick super-g in terms of length. It was really tough through the bottom technical section of the pitch. There was really nowhere to make up speed. Once you lost it, it was kind of game over just to carry along the long flats.

The conditions were ideal for the competitors, with blue skies and little wind over the ‘Rock'. The women's super-g run has a 540m vertical drop commencing at an altitude of 1825m over a course than ran 1940m.

In her third Olympic Games, that achievement wasn't lost on Greta.

"It's really amazing. I can finally say I'm a triple Olympian which is pretty cool. Only the second female Aussie Alpine skier to do that."

Greta will now prepare for the women's downhill which takes place on Tuesday 15 February.

olympics.com.au
Shannon Knaus

Dual Olympian Greta Small opened her alpine skiing World Cup campaign in Lake Lousie, Canada, with three days of racing in tough conditions.

Finishing 50th after her first downhill event, Small improved to 44th on day two of downhill competition and in the Super G race on day three, Small finished 43rd. All three events were won by Italy’s Sofia Goggia.

Small will continue her World Cup season at St Moritz, Switzerland this weekend.

Greta Small has completed the 2021 FIS Alpine Skiing World Championships in Cortina d'Amprezzo, Italy, with a personal best performance in the alpine combined event.

The two time NSWIS Olympian finished in 15th place, bettering her previous best finish of 18th in the same event in 2015 at Vail/Beaver Creek.

Earlier in the week Small finished the downhill in 28th place and was 37th in the super-g.

"Good times in Cortina at my Fourth World Championships" Small posted after the race.

"After a year of uncertainty, coming back from injury and only a couple weeks of race preparation in the past two years, it was a joy and accomplishment to be at the start gate.

"Stoked with my best ever Worlds result of 15th in the combined.

"Thank you to all my supporters racing down Olympia Delle Tofane was fun."

Also in action at the World Championships was Snow Australia racer Hugh McAdam, who had to take part in the qualifier events in giant slalom and slalom. 

McAdam qualified in fifth place in the giant slalom, but unfortunately did not finish in the first run of the main event.

In the slalom qualifier, McAdam did not finish in the first run, missing out on qualifying for a start in the World Championship race.
 
IMAGE: Spectacular sunny conditions for Greta Small at the World Championships in Cortina, Italy © Greta Small Instagram

Two time Olympian Greta Small has competed in the FIS Alpine World Championship speed events in Cortina d'Ampezzo, Italy, with weather impacting the first week of the event. .

After a 3 day weather delay, conditions finally improved and the women's super-g was the opening event at the World Championships, with the NSWIS skier finishing in 37th, 5.49 seconds back from the event winner Lara Gut-Behrami of Switzerland.

In the downhill Small was the 28th skier across the line, 3.41 second behind Corinne Suter who made it a Swiss double in the women's speed events.

Small has one event left in Cortina, the alpine combined event on tonight. The format for the alpine combined event is a super-g event up first, with athletes then competing in the slalom, with the times from both events added to determine the winner.

Snow Australia racer Hugh McAdam will be making his World Championship debut in the giant slalom and slalom events.

McAdam will need to compete in the qualifying event in each discipline, with the top-25 advancing to the medal events.

The schedule for McAdam in Cortina is
Giant slalom qualification event - Thursday, February 18
Giant slalom medal event - Friday, February. 19
Slalom qualifying event - Saturday, February 20
Slalom medal event - Sunday, February 21
 
IMAGE: After the first three days were impacted by bad weather, it was great to see the return of sunny skies in Cortina © FIS Alpine

Snow Australia has announced two athletes who will represent the Australian team at the upcoming 2021 FIS Alpine World Championships including two-time NSWIS Olympian Greta Small and World Championships debutant Hugh McAdam.

Twenty-year old Hugh McAdam will join top Australian Alpine skier Greta Small in Cortina (Italy), where the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships start next Monday and run until the 21 February.

Small recently made yet another World Cup comeback from a torn ACL injury, the third major knee injury in her career, and will compete in the Downhill, Super G and Alpine Combined in her fourth FIS World Championships.

McAdam will have to make his way into the Giant Slalom and Slalom World Championships races through the qualifying events, scheduled on the 18 February and 20 February respectively. McAdam needs to finish in the top-25 in those races to advance and start in the medal events.

AUSTRALIAN ATHLETES COMPETITION SCHEDULE

2021 FIS Ski World Championships - Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy

    Monday, Feb 8 - Greta Small, Alpine Combined - Women
    Tuesday, Feb. 9 - Greta Small, Super-G - Women
    Saturday, Feb. 13 - Greta Small, Downhill - Women
    Thursday, Feb. 18 - Hugh McAdam, Giant Slalom Qualification Event - Men
    Friday, Feb. 19 - Hugh McAdam, Giant Slalom - Men*
    Saturday, Feb. 20 - Hugh McAdam, Slalom Qualification Event - Men
    Sunday, Feb. 21 - Hugh McAdam, Slalom - Men*

*if qualified
 
IMAGE: Greta Small carving up the slopes last season at Club Med resort in Valmorel © Chris Hocking/OWIA

Article courtesy of Snow Australia

NSWIS athlete Greta Small has made a successful return to World Cup competition, with a personal best finish in the downhill at Crans Montana, Switzerland and 2.45 seconds behind the winner, Sofia Goggia of Italy.

Small finished in 34th place, eclipsing her previous best World Cup downhill result of 36th achieved in January 2018.

Small posted after the race:"comeback race is in the books and a PB in World Cup downhill, let's keep working!"

Small also took part in another downhill and super-g in Crans Montana, but did not finish her run in both events.

Next up for Small is the World Cup event in Garmisch Partenkirchen, Germany, with a downhill on January 30 and super-g on January 31.

IMAGE: Greta Small last season at Club Med resort in Valmorel © Chris Hocking/OWIA

Alpine Skiing
Greta Small continued her injury rehabilitation at the AIS in Canberra making great progress with the Strength and Conditioning Staff in the gym before heading to Jindabyne for most of the winter to return to on snow training. After leaving Jindabyne, Small returned to the AIS for a further six-week intensive Strength and Conditioning bock.
 
Small is planning on heading to Europe for on snow training in mid December.
 
Bobsleigh
Bree Walker has been in Europe since last winter preparing for the northern hemisphere season, and has taken part in a number of successful push and sliding camp activities.
 
Unfortunately, Walker was unable to compete at opening two World Cup events in Sigulda, Latvia, after a member of her support team tested positive for COVID.
 
Bree is now planning for the next event on the Bobsleigh World Cup tour in Innsbruck, Austria, on December 12-13.
 
Curling
Mixed doubles pair Dean Hewitt & Tahli Gill have been training in their home states, with Hewitt at the Victorian Institute of Sport and Gill at the Queensland Academy of Sport.

With International travel restrictions in place it has been very difficult to access overseas Curling Ice to date.

The pair are aiming to be back on the ice training perhaps in Asia, by January in preparation for the 2021 World Mixed Doubles Curling Championships in late April. The event has been moved to Europe, with the exact location to be announced.
 
Figure Skating
Brendan Kerry has been based in Europe, training in France and Russia.
 
Kerry was scheduled to compete in the Internationaux de France ISU Grand Prix event in mid November, but it was unfortunately cancelled due to COVID restrictions in France.
 
Kailani Craine has remained at home in Newcastle training at her local ice rink, with Ice Dance couple Chantelle Kerry Andrew Dodds also training in Sydney.
 
Skeleton
Jackie Narracott has been training in Bath, UK, preparing for the northern hemisphere winter.
 
Narracott is currently evaluating the best plan, locations and opportunities for training and competition during the international season due to the difficult COVID situation in Europe.

NSWIS Alpine Skier Greta Small recorded her highest World Cup downhill placing of the season, finishing in 39th position at Crans-Montana, Switzerland.

On Sunday, Small was also in action in the alpine combined event, finishing in 22nd, also a seasons best performance in the combined discipline.

Small will now head to Rosa Khutor, Russiia, site of the 2014 Olympic Winter Games in Sochi for the next round of the women's alpine World Cup speed events.

Greta Small has commenced her 2018-2019 campaign competing in the Alpine Skiing World Cup events in Lake Louise, Canada.

Small's best result was 45th in the Super-G in a field of 54 racers.

She also competed in two downhill events, finishing 46th on day one, and 48th on day two.

The ladies World Cup tour now heads to St Moritz, Switzerland, for Super-G and Slalom events on December 8-9.