All eyes on Super-G in first day of YOG

The Youth Olympic Games officially got underway on Friday with both a men's and women's super-G kicking off the action in Les Diableretes. The Swiss stole the show on home snow, taking away two medals on the day including the women's gold, which went toe Amelie Klopfenstein.

Women's Recap:
A week ago, Alpine skier Amelie Klopfenstein (SUI) was not even part of the Swiss squad. A late call-up gave the home crowd what they wanted on the opening morning of competition at Lausanne 2020, with the first gold of the Games going to the 17-year-old in the women’s Super-G.

Following a frustrating start to the season, Klopfenstein was devastated to narrowly miss out on selection for the YOG but after close friend Delphine Darbellay was forced to pull out with injury on 3 January, she took full advantage of her second chance.

“Just a few weeks ago I was a reserve and now… it’s incredible. I would not have believed it was possible,” Klopfenstein said after finishing in 56.27 seconds, 0.08 seconds ahead of France’s Caitlin McFarlane in silver, with Israeli Noa Szollos snatching bronze from Austrian Amanda Salzgeber.

“I got a phone call at home a week ago, I was so sad for Delphine but I knew it was a good opportunity for me and Delphine wished me good luck.”

Klopfenstein flew down the steep, fast course, flawlessly negotiating the tricky middle section. Compatriot Delia Durrer (SUI) had been tipped by many to start the Games in perfect fashion for the hosts but after finishing in a time of 57.35 seconds the 17-year-old admitted she had felt a “little stiff with pressure” at the top.

That left the way clear for Klopfenstein to complete her remarkable comeback.

“This season has not been my best but it meant I went out this morning with no pressure,” she said.

Silver medallist McFarlane was almost as shocked as the winner, revealing in the finish area that she is “not really a speed racer”.

“I did not expect that at all but it gives me great confidence for the slalom, my favourite,” the Australian-born French athlete said. “This is the biggest competition of my life, the adrenaline really got me going.”

Israel’s Szollos completed the trio of delighted medallists. “I was hoping for top 10, maybe top seven,” Szollos said. “I have skied a lot of Super G this year though and we’ve been really focusing on technique not just going fast. I hope I have made Israel proud.”

She certainly delighted her watching father, the former world championship skier Peter Szollos.

“My whole life is watching my children race and helping train them,” said Szollos senior, who four years ago stood on the slopes in Lillehammer and applauded as his son Barnabas finished seventh in slalom at the 2016 YOG.

Men's Recap:
Sweden’s Adam Hofstedt claimed victory in the men’s Super-G on Friday and swiftly declared that he sees no reason why he cannot complete a clean sweep of Alpine skiing individual gold medals.

The 17-year-old arrived in Lausanne knowing he was in good form and that quiet confidence translated into a smooth, powerful display at the Les Diablerets Alpine Centre.

“I wanted a podium at least,” said Hofstedt who completed the shortened, 1100m course in 54.56 seconds. “I felt really good, no mistakes, one of my best runs ever.”

It was just enough to secure the teenager his targeted gold, as he finished 0.06 seconds ahead of Slovenian Rok Aznoh with Luc Roduit (SUI) grabbing bronze to complete an impressive day for the host nation on the slopes.

If Hofstedt has his way however, that is as close as anyone else is going to get to the top step of the podium.

“I want more,” Hofstedt said. “I like all the disciplines, slalom I have been doing great,everything else good too though. Other people have won many golds, no reason I can’t. That’s the goal, four golds.”

It is a mighty ambition and should he achieve it Hofstedt would go one better than River Radamus (USA) who claimed a record-setting three individual Alpine skiing gold medals at the Lillehammer 2016 Winter Youth Olympic Games. But none of that intimidates the softly spoken Swede.

“I am a pretty calm person, I like to live in the moment,” said Hofstedt who will go into Saturday’s slalom run in the combined as a clear favourite, with Friday’s Super-G run giving him a 0.06 second advantage over the field.

Slovenia’s Aznoh will be looking to somehow disturb that equanimity, having come agonisingly close to securing the biggest win of his career. The good news is that he knows where he can improve.

“I am not totally happy, in the steep middle part of the course I should have stepped more on the outside of my skis,” Aznoh said. “The parts where you have to let it go is normally where I am best.”

Aznoh was one of many to praise the Les Diablerets slope and it certainly proved to be to the liking of the home skiers. Just hours after compatriot and club teammate Amelie Klopfenstein had stormed to victory in the women’s Super-G, Swiss men’s star Roduit gave the noisy crowd something else to shout about.

“She gave me lots of energy, it was amazing, yesterday she was sick, we were not expecting the podium from her,” Roduit said of Klopfenstein before explaining just what it is like to ski in a home Youth Olympic Games.

“It was like the first race of the season for me, there were so many nerves but I wasn’t scared and the nerves actually helped,” he said.

Even so, the Versegeres resident will not be celebrating his bronze medal yet. Like rival Hofstedt he “wants more”.

Courtesty of Olympic Information Service