Alpine skiing at the 1968 Winter Olympics

In the X. 1968 Olympics six competitions were held in Alpine skiing. The top three finishers in the downhill, giant slalom and the slalom in addition to the Olympic medals were also world championship medals, as these competitions were counted at the same time as the 20th Alpine World Ski Championships. In the Alpine combination only World Championship medals were awarded.

Alpine ski racing venue all was Chamrousse, a situated east of Grenoble winter. The goal of five of the six races was in the area Recoin de Chamrousse, that of the men's downhill in the area Casserousse.

2.1 Departure
2.2 Giant Slalom
2.3 slalom
2.4 combination

Departure

Date: February 9, 12:00 clock Slopes: " Chamrousse " Start: 2252 m, target: 1412 m Difference in altitude: 840 m, distance: 2890 m

At the start were 86 runners from 29 countries, of which 73 finished the race. The race was initially scheduled on February 8, but had to be postponed by one day because of dense fog. Guy Périllat, the reigning giant slalom world champion, opened the race. Only the Swiss Jean- Daniel Daetwyler ( start number 4) was initially able to reasonably keep up with the time of the French. With the # 14 favorite Jean -Claude Killy went into the race. In the meantime, his lead was on Périllat approximately one second, the melted together in the shallow parts of the lower half of the course due to wrong waxed skis up to eight hundredths.

Giant Slalom

1st run: February 11, 12:00 clock Slopes: " Simond " Start: 2090 m, target: 1640 m Difference in altitude: 450 m, distance: 1800 m Goals: 70

2nd run: February 12, 12:00 clock Slopes: " Vallon " Start: 2153 m, target: 1703 m Difference in altitude: 450 m, distance: 1780 m Goals: 57

For the first time ever an Olympic giant slalom was held in two runs, as opposed to today though. On two consecutive days and on two different slopes This scheme first came to use in the World Ski Championships 1966. It started 100 skiers from 36 countries, 88 finished the race. After the first run was Jean -Claude Killy 1.20 seconds before Willy Favre and 2.04 seconds ahead of Guy Périllat. During the first run could be carried out in the sunshine, prevailed in the second round fog and snowfall. Heinrich Messner moved up from fifth to third place, while Killy continued to expand its lead with the second best run time. The best time in the second run scored Billy Kidd, who was eight hundredths of a second faster than Killy and pushed forward from eighth to fifth place.

Slalom

Date: February 17, 12:00 clock Slopes: the "Stade de Slalom " Start: 1826 m, target: 1650 m Difference in altitude: 176 m, distance: 520 m Goals: 62 ( 1st run ), 69 ( 2nd run )

Eliminated include: Willy Favre (SUI ), Billy Kidd (USA), Håkon Mjøen (NOR ), Guy Périllat ( FRA ), Karl Schranz (AUT ), Carlo Senoner (ITA )

For slalom, which consisted of two runners on a single day, not less than 101 racers have signed up from 33 countries. In order to reduce the number of participants, a two-part qualifying competition was held three days before the actual race. In the first part, the participants were divided into 17 groups, from each of the two fastest qualified directly for the race. A further 17 starting places were awarded in a repechage. It was planned as the second part of qualifying a classification run in which the remaining 51 racers must fight for the most favorable possible starting position. However, this part could not be performed because of dense fog and the starting numbers were distributed based on the FIS points list.

Even on race day was a thick fog over the course. Killy was the only one during the first run reasonably good visibility before and sat in front of the Austrians Alfred Matt and Karl Schranz to the top. His lead was 0.31 and 0.32 seconds. In the second round of the Norwegian Håkon Mjoen came from tenth place in front to the top of the standings and placed in front Killy. Schranz broke his second race off after 22 goals because he felt disturbed by a running track on the runway supervisor. He was allowed to drive subject again, scored the fastest time and binned in the overall standings between Mjoen and Killy. After a few minutes Mjoen was disqualified for two Torfehlern and Schranz was celebrated as Olympic champion.

A little later reported the marshals that Schranz had omitted the same goals shortly before the sudden emergence of the runway supervisor as Mjøn. After five hours of deliberation, the jury decided 3-2 vote, not to evaluate the re-run and Schranz disqualify also. Jean -Claude Killy was subsequently characterized for its third gold medal. The British member of the jury had submitted a proposal, both Schranz and Killy award a gold medal, but this has not been possible due to the regulations.

Combination

For the combination contest no Olympic medals were awarded, but only World Championship medals. The positions were determined by a point system from the results of the departure of the giant slalom and the slalom.

Women

Departure

Date: February 10, 12:00 clock Slopes: " Chamrousse " Start: 2252 m, target: 1650 m Difference in altitude: 602 m, distance: 2160 m

The race took place under the best conditions in the sunshine. At the start were 39 racers from 14 countries, only one did not come to the finish. As the first of the favorites, the Austrian Christl Haas took the lead. The Swiss Annerösli Zryd ranged from Haas ' time, but crashed a few meters before the finish line, slid on his back across the finish line and thereby missed a medal. A little later, Isabelle Mir took over the top position. The time of the French was finally undercut by Olga Pall by nearly half a second.

Giant Slalom

Date: February 15, 12:00 clock Slopes: " Gaboureaux " Start: 2090 m, target: 1650 m Difference in altitude: 440 m, distance: 1610 m Goals: 68

Eliminated inter alia: Betsy Clifford

In contrast to the men's race the giant slalom women was held only in one run. With heavy cloud cover, but good visibility, were 47 racers from 18 countries at the start, of which 42 finished the race. With start number 1 Isabelle I went into the race, her time was then undercut by Olga Pall, Florence Steurer and Annie Famose. At half the distance Fernande Bochatay recorded a narrow margin of 10 hundredths of a second, but the Swiss lost in the lower part of the track a little more time and placed himself between Famose and Steurer. After Bochatay Canada's Nancy Greene took the track in attack and outclassed their opponents: Your projection of 2.64 seconds Famose is the largest that has ever been measured at an Olympic or World Championship race.

Slalom

Date: February 13, 12:00 clock Slopes: the "Stade de Slalom " Start: 1806 m, target: 1650 m Difference in altitude: 156 m, distance: 420 m Goals: 56 ( 1st run ), 57 ( 2nd run )

Eliminated include: Fernande Bochatay (SUI ), Betsy Clifford (USA), Kiki Cutter ( USA), Gertrud Gabl (AUT ), Divina Galica (GBR ), Rosi Mittermeier ( FRG), Judy Nagel ( USA), Florence Steurer ( FRA )

Many failures shaped the Slalom: Of the 49 racers from 18 countries who took the race in attack, only 31 came to the finish. The 17-year old U.S. citizen Judy Nagel posted the fastest time in the first run, it was 0.08 seconds ahead of Marielle Goitschel and 1.26 seconds ahead of Nancy Greene. In the second race first took over Annie Famose the lead, their total time but was undercut by Goitschel by over two seconds. While nail already retired after a few gates, Greene realized the clear fastest time and let Famose far behind.

Combination

See also: List of Olympic gold medalist in alpine skiing

Alpine skiing at the Winter Olympics
Competition at the 1968 Olympic Winter Games

52078