Two victories, another podium result and the men's overall World Cup lead. Swiss skiers are back.
Switzerland's Daniel Albrecht and Martina Schild posted a rare double World Cup win on Sunday, while veteran Didier Cuche took over the men's overall lead, demonstrating that the small Alpine nation's decade-long slump has finally come to an end.
"It's a great day for Switzerland," said Cuche, who finished third in the giant slalom to overtake injured reigning overall champion Aksel Lund Svindal atop the standings.
PHOTO: AP
Albrecht, who was only 11th after the opening leg, delivered a stunning second run on the Birds of Prey course. It marked his second win in four days, after he earned his first career World Cup win on Thursday in the super-combi.
Schild battled biting cold and a slick track in Lake Louise, Alberta, to win the season-opening women's super-G for her first career World Cup victory.
It marked the first double win for Swiss skiers since Jan. 6, 2001. Then, Sonja Nef won a GS at Maribor, Slovenia, and Michael von Gruenigen another at Les Arcs in France.
Already this season, the Swiss have twice as many victories as in any of the last six seasons.
Their results confirm their breakthrough last season, when Marc Berthod posted his maiden World Cup victory to end three-year winless streak for the Swiss -- one that stretched to seven years in slalom.
Once an Alpine skiing superpower, Switzerland fell into a deep slump over the last decade as Austria took over as the dominant nation.
The last Swiss man to win the overall title was Paul Accola in 1992. The last Swiss women's champion was Vreni Schneider in 1995.
Repeated changes in the coaching staff, a focus on the nation's stars at the cost of the development teams and poor equipment choices had all lead to Switzerland's decline.
"It's a matter of all the World Cup group working well, now" Cuche explained. "And having consistent coaches in the last three years is helping."
Albrecht sat in the finish area watching as 10 other racers failed to match his time.
Austrian Mario Matt finished second, just .05 back.
Taiwan’s top women’s badminton doubles duo, Hsieh Pei-shan (謝沛珊) and Hung En-tzu (洪恩慈), achieved a straight-sets victory over Japan’s Kaho Osawa and Mayui Tanabe at the Badminton World Federation (BWF) Super 300 Macau Open on Sunday. The Taiwanese pair won the final 21-18, 21-12, marking the duo’s second title this year after their win at the BWF Super 300 Taipei Open in May. The match on Sunday was their first encounter with the Japanese duo, ranked No. 63 in the world. Hsieh and Hung, ranked No. 12, began the opening game well. Hung, who plays left-handed, performed strongly at both the net and the
Canadian teenager Victoria Mboko upset top-seeded Coco Gauff 6-1, 6-4 on Saturday night to reach the National Bank Open quarter-finals. “Your support was incredible,” Mboko told the crowd in French after a chorus of “Ole, Ole, Ole” chants echoed around the venue. “I’m really happy to win today ... It’s incredible. I’m so happy to beat such a great champion.” Gauff dropped to 2-3 since winning the French Open. She followed the major victory with opening losses in Berlin and Wimbledon, then overcame double-fault problems to win two three-set matches in Montreal. Gauff had five double-faults on Saturday after having 23 in
Jobe Bellingham on Tuesday admitted to having “anxieties” on following in brother Jude’s footsteps after joining Borussia Dortmund in the summer. Jobe Bellingham, 19, is two years younger than Jude Bellingham, who joined Real Madrid in 2023 after three years at Dortmund. A centerpiece of the England national team, Jude Bellingham has emerged as one of the best players in the world in recent seasons. The younger Jobe Bellingham joined Dortmund in June from Sunderland after their promotion to the English Premier League. He admitted he understood what the perception would be ahead of the move to Germany. “It’s something you do think about.
Before Tuesday’s 7-2 win at the Atlanta Braves, Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy suggested “most people couldn’t tell you five players on our team.” A look at the standings would indicate more Brewers players soon will be recognized by more fans. After all, it is difficult to overlook a team that not only continues to extend their lead in the National League Central, but also boasts the best record in the majors. “What we’re doing in here right now is special,” right-handed pitcher Freddy Peralta said after allowing only four hits and one run in five innings, while setting a career high with
RSS