Full Speed Ahead
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jan 9, 2021
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Breezy made quite a few mistakes on her run, but she took a very different line at the top where she banked speed (LV tried to even go beyond Breezy's line) and carried that throughout the race. At the same gate where LV crashed, Breezy stays high and then hits the fall line pitch in the following left-hand turn, higher and straighter than everyone who went lower. Those who took the more straight approach ended up making a turn down the face. She went higher, had to make a tighter turn, but exited that pitch about 5 mph faster than anyone else, and that won her the gold. It's a classic approach of the longer route being faster than the direct route. But, it came with risk, and LV pushed that risk to the extreme. When LV's ski unloaded it threw her straight into the gate, her arm got caught inside and spun her around.
LVs racing days are probably over, and in a way, I think it's fitting that they ended by her being helicoptered off the hill versus slowly fading away. She was always full throttle in a race. When most DH racers get in trouble, they "pull the rip cord" and try to keep from blowing up. LV's attitude is "I can still make this" - she's hit the nets before still in tuck mode trying to pull out a turn. She was always going to go full throttle, and she did it once again. Softer, more responsive snow, caused her ski to load up and then unload her right into the gate. This wasn't a knee issue, it was her going full throttle to win and cutting it just too close this time.
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