Impressive start
Created: 11/29/2022, 12:00 p.m
By: Patrick Hilmes
"Jaaaaaa": Thomas Dreßen is back in the World Cup - and how.
The Mittenwalder is eighth in the downhill.
© IMAGO/Sergei Belsky
Thomas Dreßen manages a strong comeback in Lake Louis: the Mittenwalder finishes eighth in the downhill.
Simon Jocher convinces with two top 20 places.
Luis Vogt made his debut in the elite class.
Lake Louis –
Thomas Dreßen is not exactly one of the newcomers to the alpine ski circuit.
But even a five-time World Cup winner is not immune to stage fright.
"At the start I noticed that I was getting nervous." No wonder, as it was his comeback after a long period of suffering.
But as his teammate Simon Jocher puts it so beautifully: "Tom is simply a racing bun." And so Dreßen once again conjured up a strong time in the snow of Lake Louis.
1:49.00 minutes mean eighth place for the Mittenwalder on the first descent of the season.
Strong results for the entire DSV team
At the bottom of the finish line, Dreßen cried out loudly his relief and joy after the successful restart.
"It's really cool to be back.
It felt like coming home.” Perhaps with a later start number – Dreßen started the race fourth – there could have been even more.
“From numbers 12 and 13 it got lighter.
But that's outdoor sports, that's part of it.” Didn't change his mood, which was great.
It was then even increased, because the entire German team had an impressive start to this winter.
Romed Baumann followed in tenth place, Dominik Schwaiger in twelfth place and Simon Jocher in 17th place. The Grainauer by choice from SC Garmisch proved that his goal for this season is not utopian.
Grooves better and better: Simon Jocher manages two top 20 places in Lake Louis.
© IMAGO/GEPA pictures/ Mario Buehner
Jocher underlines his ambitions
He also did well in the Super G.
As the second-best German behind Andreas Sander (5th), Jocher drove up to 14th with the number 24 car.
He too could have landed further ahead.
But a mistake in the entrance to the steep slope cost him valuable time.
"Aggravating.
But it was brutal and a real fight.” Nevertheless, he was very satisfied with his two top 20 places.
Especially since at the age of 26 you still have to count him among the youngsters of this elite class.
"The first race is always a wake-up call and yet something completely different from the training." With his 14th place in the Super G, Jocher has also already achieved a partial goal: half the standard for the Alpine World Ski Championships - 6th to 19th place. February 2023 in Courchevel (France).
Dreßen, who finished 31st in the Super G, has even booked his World Cup ticket.
Out of breath: Luis Vogt contested his first two World Cup races in Canada.
© IMAGO/GEPA pictures/ Mathias Mandl
Vogt is eliminated in the Super G
Luis Vogt (SC Garmisch) can only dream of such goals.
Still.
Because the 20-year-old now has his first World Cup races under his belt.
"It was fun for him, even if he's not satisfied with his results," reports teammate Jocher.
Vogt started his first descent in the elite class with start number 60 and finished it in 51st place. His first appearance in the Super G, on the other hand, ended prematurely - Vogt retired.
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Mastered the first pressure situations
Next opportunities in Beaver Creek
But he doesn't have to wait long for his next chance.
On Monday evening (Central European Time), the DSV team set out for the second World Cup stop in Beaver Creek.
Training should show whether Vogt will also start in the USA.
The course in Beaver Creek is considered to be even more challenging than that in Lake Louis.
Dreßen and Jocher naturally want to pick up where they left off in Canada - with top placings.
