Bansko Kranjska Gora
Gotta Have Heart
For Christof Innerhofer, Mario Matt, Nolan Kasper and Carlo Janka (bouncing back
from heart surgery), late-season passion pays off. BY HANK MCKEE PHOTOS BY GEPA
It has been a long and, at times, brutal season. The
World Championships “break” typically marks a turn-
ing point in the winter. This year, it also marked a
change in the players. The Feb. 26 and 27 races in
Bansko, Bulgaria — a super combined and slalom
— and the March 5 and 6 GS and slalom at Kranjska
Gora, Slovenia, showed a lapse among World Cup
leaders, and a surge from skiers who found during the
title meet in Garmisch-Partenkirchen they might be
more competitive than had previously been thought.
Italian Christof Innerhofer learned at Garmisch that
he was not only competitive, but that he was the
hottest skier on the circuit, earning a medal of every
color. At Bansko he delivered again.
“When you are on a roll, keep rolling,” said Innerhofer
as he won his second-ever World Cup race in the
combined and scored just his fifth Cup podium result
in four seasons. He is surfing a wave of confidence
he can’t explain, or predict. “I don’t know how long
this will go on, but I’m thrilled,” he said.
Christof Innerhofer says, “When
you are on a roll, keep rolling.”
SkiRacing.com MARCH 17, 2011 | 18
