Downhill course 'The Rock' makes its debut

Today was the grand debut of ‘The Rock’, the newly build Olympic downhill course in Beijing (CHN). It’s not often a new downhill course makes a debut, so we’ve put together all some of the top racers’ feedback after they had their first training session today.

Marco Odermatt (SUI)
On what he was hoping to learn from his first look at the new course:
"First of all the snow - you have to feel the snow a little bit. It's also different to the training slope. And for sure the line. If you are on a new slope there are many blind gates, it was hard to find a good line."

On what he did learn: 
"You need everything - clean skiing, you can't drift a lot. You just have to ski smooth and clean and always take the speed with you. It won't be easy to find the perfect set-up and the perfect line for the race.

"For everybody it is new, us athletes as well as the coaches. It's a big challenge for the whole team to find a perfect set-up.

"It's a really great slope, they have built up an incredible slope. It was fun to ski."

Vincent Kreichmayr (AUT)
On his feelings after his first training run:
"The course is amazing. And it looks amazing. Snow conditions are one of the best and it's really nice to be here.

"As a first attempt it was really good."

On the difficult sections of the course:
"Nearly every section is difficult. It's the first time for everybody here, so nobody knows about the track and the course setting.

"Nobody was leading by 100%, but it wasn't easy."

On what is difficult about the course:
"There are some jumps. We have never been here so for everybody it is new and you have to work everywhere on the track. It's not bumpy.

"We'll see what happens in the next few days when the guys are pushing more."

On whether he could compare it to any other course he has been on:
"No, it is completely new."

On not seeing any snow apart from on the course:
"It's not important for me. I need the snow on the track and that's it."

Dominik Paris (ITA)
On his first impressions of the course:
"It's not very easy, a lot of gates. Snow conditions are a little bit different but nice for skiing. I have to work on the lines to go very fast."

On what is the most difficult section:
"Maybe the lower part. That's where it's important to bring the skis in, the last flight to the finish. And the first part is not very easy."

On what type of skier will do well on this course:
"It's always the best one who will win. You have to be a complete skier. You need courage, good fast skis and a good technique coming down."

Bryce Bennett (USA) 
On the conditions being similar to those he trains on in the USA: 
"Just like Beaver Creek or Copper (Mountain) where the snow is similar, it's aggressive.

"I felt comfortable (on) run one and thought I could push all the way down."

On familiar conditions being less of an advantage in the current era:
"If it was five or six years ago I'd say it was (an advantage) but at this point everyone is pretty versatile in their set-ups and how to adjust.

"It's just going to be a battle. One thing that is going to be a little difficult is the wind.

Quotes courtesy of Olympic Information Service